Hidalgo County approves launch of EMS services
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Parts of Hidalgo County now have ambulance services again.
On Friday, the county commissioners’ court approved a one-year contract with the Mission-based Skyline EMS to serve Hidalgo County precincts 1 and 3.
The contract comes months after Pharr EMS — the ambulance service that served the area — announced that services would cease.
RELATED: Pharr EMS ending services with cities in western Hidalgo County
Skyline EMS will begin serving the precincts on Tuesday, November 15.
The contract will cost taxpayers around $45,000 as the delta area doesn’t' have the budget to pay the full cost of the contract. Hidalgo County will help pay for it through the year.
Emergency Services District 2 will foot the rest of the bill.
“That's not normally part of our operating budget, but we can't afford to not have emergency services available,” Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Commissioner David Fuentes said. “This is a matter of life and death. So for us, we find it necessary to participate and assist the ESD with continuing the services."
Both the county and the Emergency Service District say they hope to find a more cost-friendly solution by the time the Skyline EMS contract expires.
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