We've had a fully paid MICU, three different services between '86 and '05, two went bankrupt; and the last one, the money just ran out. We're working on something, but I don't have the time or energy to explain the number of roadblocks and citizens, elected and municipal officials that just don't care. We have enough people to make sure every call is answered, quickly. There was a good number of calls last year, considering the majority of our population is seasonal.
No offense, but that quote irks me. I've been on thousands of call, helped a lot of people, and I can say that a lot of lives have been saved - people resuscitated, before we even saw the medics vehicle. Every call that meets criteria at the 911 center, has the nearest ALS unit attached. Takes fifteen minutes to a half hour, of course depending on weather. Only takes fourteen minutes to get a chopper, but I make damn sure we don't over use that option. It's not a cash cow, EMS doesn't bring in a lot of money in rural areas, so we do the best we can, with what we have to work with. You'll find the same equipment, maybe even better, as anywhere else; same training, just different faces.