By Jack Quirk
The Town of Hennessey is taking steps to stabilize local ambulance service after approving a temporary contract with Mercy Regional EMS and beginning the process to create a new funding district.
At its March 10th meeting, trustees approved a six-month agreement with Mercy Regional EMS, which recently acquired Life EMS and inherited the Hennessey operation. The temporary contract will cost the town $25,000 per month. Town Administrator Tiffany Rowen said the town previously paid about $16,000 to $17,000 per month for ambulance service. LifeEMS had not raised rates in many years.
Mercy Regional owner Duke Dixon said low call volume is a major challenge for rural EMS providers. The Hennessey ambulance transported 18 patients in January and nine in February.
Ambulance services generally only bill when a patient is transported to a hospital or care facility, meaning many calls generate no direct revenue. Officials say rising costs and low call volume make operating a dedicated ambulance service increasingly difficult without additional funding.
Town Administrator Tiffany Rowen said the community will likely need a new revenue source. “We’ve got to have more money from somewhere to make this happen.”
Trustees also voted to recommend a special election to create a 522 EMS district covering the Hennessey School District. If approved by voters, the district would levy a 3-mill property tax expected to generate about $240,000 annually to help fund ambulance service.
Even with that funding, town leaders said the district likely would not cover the entire cost of ambulance service. The town would probably still contribute funding from its existing half-cent sales tax.
Trustees noted that Hennessey is currently the only school district in Kingfisher County without a 522 EMS district. If approved, the district could begin receiving funds in January 2027.
Mercy Regional EMS owner Duke Dixon address the board. Seated, David Puckett Director of Operations.
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