Ambulance bills are going up beginning Oct. 1 for Lehigh Acres residents. That was the word Sept. 17 as the five-member board accepted Chief Donald Adams’ plans to raise the fees to match what Lee County charges for ambulance calls.

The fees are scheduled to go up from $400 to $650, depending on the type of calls, Adams said. The current rates have been from $325 to $550, depending on the situation.

A staffer with the fire department explained that the bottom fee of service by ambulance and EMTs is currently $325. This is basic life support and transport and it has gone up to 400.00. ALS or Advanced Life Support ambulance calls will go from $375 to $500 while a more advance ALS fee, calling for more medications and attention will rise from $550 to $650 and add to those fees $7 a mile more that will be charged. If you are transported to a hospital such as in Cape Coral or Health Park, the $7 mile fee will be reflected on your bill.

The so-called TNT charge, meaning medical treatment at the scene but no transport is rising from $80 to $90. These type calls could come from someone who needed help in administering an injection for Diabetes or some other minor medical requirement that EMTs can do at the home of a resident.

The raise in the fees could mean a potential additional revenue for the operations of the Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue some $562,843 with what they called a potential cash flow of $350,000.

The additional costs go into effect on October 1 after the fire board finalizes its passage of the 2009-2010 budget at 5:01 p.m. on Sept. 24, which is required by state law.

The regular board meeting was taken up from 4 p.m. to after 6 p.m. mainly with discussions of the number of firefighters left in the department to man fire engines and the number of EMTs to man one ambulance.

There has been discussion of letting Lee County assume all the calls in Lehigh. Some favor that suggestion since Lehigh taxpayers are already paying $1.5 million in taxes to support the county EMT service.

Commissioners David Adams suggested a 20 percent incentive cut for people who use ambulance service if they paid cash when they get their bill. But no action was taken on his suggestion.

Also during the meeting, Chief Don Adams explained “veteran’s preference,” and noted that after the layoff of 37 firefighters in mid August, it was discovered that state law allows veterans who have met certain requirements in the military to not be considered in a layoff. Adams said the two men who approached him asked to be rehired were put back on the payroll.

Adams admitted that he had heard of the requirement of hiring of veterans under the preference requirement, but he had not heard about the preference clause meaning veterans could seek to keep their jobs by claiming veteran’s Preference.

By bringing the two firefighters back into the department, the chief could have laid off two more, but he said he had no plans to do that.

“I promised I would not lay off more,” he said.. He admitted that it would cost more in the new budget to keep these men on, but ways may be found to save in other areas to pay for their salaries.

The two firefighters who asked to be rehired because of their miliary service and the Veteran’s Preference had fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Ralph Hemingway suggested that the board ask the the Lee County Commission for compensation for the lots they may purchase while prices are down with plans to offer them up to developers in the future for commercial development in Lehigh.

It’s a rebirth of the late Jim Fleming’s idea “to connect the dots” and buy up cheap property and offer it as large parcels for large shopping centers in the future.

But since that has not been worked out by the Lee County Commission yet, Commissioner David Adams asked that the issue be put on the table for a future meeting.

Hemingway said it was his understanding that the money would come from the Obama Stimulus Program.

However, Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann has said a million dollars can come from county coffers, not federal stimulus money to buy up lots that have have become less expensive due to the the ailing economy.

Hemingway said he was interested in the issue because as he understood it, those properties purchased by the county, would produce no taxes for the fire district. Attorney Richard Pringle told Hemingway that he was correct.

In the end Hemingway rescinded his motion after he noted support for the land purchases from those in the room.

Much of the meeting was taken up with discussions by the chief and the five members of the board about how much manpower would be needed on fire equipment to keep Lehigh safe and to keep firefighters safe. It was also discussed that if the local fire board let Lee County EMTs use Lehigh ambulances, it would free up more employees to fight fires. The chief and Commission Chairman Jeff Berndt plan to meet with Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah this week over funding and county ambulance service.

The new fire department budget is expected to be officially approved on Sept. 24 at 5:01 p.m. The new budget goes into effect on Oct. 1.