Ambulance Sales Tax FAQs

Goal: Sustainability for EMS in Bryan County

What will this tax do?

It will create 25 to 50 more EMT and Paramedic jobs over the next several years.
- It will purchase: ambulances, equipment, supplies, sub-stations, etc.

What’s in it for me?

Free BCEMS Membership for Bryan County residents.
This will provide closer ambulance service to the communities that need it the most.

How much will it cost?

This will cost the average person around $9.31 /month (or about $112.00/Year).
- Because this is a sales tax, the amount you pay will be spread out as you make day to day purchases. This is not a monthly fee.
- This cost will also be shared by visitors who shop and travel through our county which will help drive down the cost of EMS to individuals living in Bryan County.

(Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the ambulance tax going to do for me?

If passed, Bryan County citizens will automatically be enrolled in a BCEMS Membership.
- No out-of-pocket ambulance expenses, for county citizens, after insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and other third-party payments have been made.
It will provide the much-needed funds to expand county ambulance facilities, purchase ambulances, and employ additional EMTs and Paramedics to meet the growing demands for emergency medical services where you live.
- Our goal would be to decreased response times, over the next several years, considerably for most of the county, from more than 50 minutes in some areas to an average of 25 minutes or better outside of Durant.
Additional life-saving equipment such as ventilators, cardiac monitors, ultrasound equipment, life-saving blood products, and CPR devices for ambulances responding to your area.
Peace of mind knowing that the ambulance services in Bryan County are being funded and will not have to reduce the number of available ambulances and EMT/Paramedics due to the ever-increasing costs of healthcare.

What will it cost me on average per year?

The average retail sale per capita in Bryan County was $11,162.00 (http://www.census.gov/, (Revised 2017). Using that figure, the average person in Bryan County will pay just under $9.31 per month or $111.62 per year for Ambulance Service EMS Tax.
- This is not a monthly fee. It will be collected the point of sale with each purchase.

Who gets the money?

100% of the funds will be distributed to the Bryan County Ambulance Authority (DBA Bryan County EMS) which manages and/or contracts ambulance service in Bryan County. Currently, the following Ambulance Services will benefit from the tax money:
- Bryan Couty Ambulance Authority DBA – Bryan County EMS (Responsible for 100% of the county)
- Colbert EMS (Contracted to BCAA to Cover approximately 20% of the county)

How will the money be spent?

Hiring additional EMTs and Paramedics to meet the growing ambulance needs of Bryan County
Renting, purchasing, or building sub-stations and/or stations.
Purchasing additional ambulances and other vehicles.
Purchasing life-saving equipment like ventilators, cardiac monitors, ultrasound equipment, life-saving blood products, and CPR devices.
Purchasing Personal Protective Equipment things like: N95 masks, bulletproof vests, rescue helmets, gloves, traffic vests, and other protective gear designed to help keep EMTs safe.
Supporting ambulance daily operations.

Why do we need an ambulance tax?

You need more ambulances. By 2028 we are projected to need 8 ambulances 24/7 in Bryan County and with the funds currently available, our county is only able to provide 5 ambulances during the day and only 3 ambulances at night.
Without the tax money, ambulance services in Bryan County will not have the funds or the resources to properly purchase Ambulances and Equipment to keep up the growth of Bryan County.
Without the tax, the ambulance services will not be able to expand to keep up with the rising populations, increased number of businesses, and the continued economic growth of our county.
Without the tax, delays in patient care will continue to become more frequent. At times, citizens of Bryan County already experience delays because all of our trucks are assigned to calls and our patients have to wait for an ambulance to drive here from another county.

Have the ambulance services in Bryan County had an increase in calls?

Yes, there has been an increase in call volume averaging more than 200 additional calls per year for the past ten years and our county is still growing.
Over the past ten years, we have increased from approximately 0 out of every 100 patients to more than 4 out of every 100 patients having to wait for an ambulance from another county because all our ambulances are busy with other emergencies. Without this tax, this number is projected to increase to more than 7 out of every 100 patients having to wait within the next five to ten years.
The national recommendation is to have 1 ambulance on duty for every 1000 calls for service. This past year the Bryan County EMS system served over 7000 patients with an average of 4 trucks per day.

Does the State or local government give Bryan County EMSany money?

The State of Oklahoma annually hosts one grant opportunity. BCEMS has applied for this grant every year and has only been awarded the grant 4 times in the past 13 years.
Bryan County does collect a 3 mil property tax for ambulance service.
Currently, the Bryan County Ambulance Authority does not receive any additional money from the City, County, State, Tribe, or Federal Government.
Bryan County EMS annual Budget is approx. 3.2 million dollars per year. The Current Property tax only raises 1.4 million dollars a year, about 30% of our Budget. The other 70% comes from billing.

Do the ambulances only run on 9-1-1 calls?

No. Patients sometimes need to be transported from our local hospital to other hospitals when our local hospital is unable to provide the treatments the patient needs.
- When this happens it often takes an ambulance out of our county for about 7 to 8 hours potentially leaving us with only 2 ambulances available for 9-1-1 calls.
Some patients, due to their medical condition, need to be transported from the hospital back to their home or a nursing facility after they receive treatment. While these trips are usually not life-saving in nature, they do require the use of an ambulance.
Many schools and sporting events also require an on-duty ambulance to be available during events.

How much does a new ambulance cost?

Is there any accountability for the money once collected?

All Money collected will go to the Oklahoma Tax Commission and then to the Bryan County Treasures office.
The Treasures will then distribute the funds to the Bryan County Ambulance Authority.
The Bryan County Ambulance Authority Board of Trustees will have oversight of all sub-distributions to individual Ambulance services and will oversee all of the purchases, wages, salaries, and expenses of Bryan County EMS.
BCAA is Audited annually by the Oklahoma State Auditors Office.