BLACKSBURG, Va. – Over the past few years, EMS costs and medical supplies have risen astronomically, but the Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad has found a way to recoup some of that money.

Every year, prices for emergency equipment continue to rise.

“The cost of the ambulance right here behind me has gone up almost $200,000, just in the last probably four years,” said David English, chief of the Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad.

As one of the last departments to support charging for EMS transport in our region, the Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad has started a revenue recovery program to help offset some of the costs.

I talked to English about it and he said the way it works is they use the insurance and tax money to cover the bill.

“Really, what we’re trying to do is not leave that money on the table and let the insurance companies get rich,” English said. “The most important thing about this program is to understand that while we try to take advantage of the insurance policies that exist with this coverage, it’s not passed on to individuals.”

If you don’t have insurance, he said that’s not a concern either.

“If you don’t have insurance, everything is canceled,” English said.

I met with Blacksburg City Councilman Liam Watson about the ordinance that passed.

He said he voted no, but he has a reason.

“If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of visitors we have every year or if you’re one of the many people who commute to Blacksburg for work and if you’re at work or shopping and they need an ambulance, you could get stuck with that bill,” Watson said. “That’s why I voted no.”

English said the transition to this should be smooth and seamless for everyone.