ROCK SPRINGS – The Rock Springs Fire Department will receive a used ambulance following a unanimous decision by the Rock Springs City Council.

The Council voted to spend $35,000 for the ambulance and a cot. According to Council documents, the ambulance will help provide service during the National High School Finals Rodeo and during instances when Castle Rock Ambulance Service isn’t available to respond to a Rock Springs call.

“While it has traditionally been the realm of the county to attend to ambulance services, as everyone is aware, there have been challenges over the last several years and I think it’s important the city has some capacity regardless of the efficiency and efficacy of whatever is being provided,” Mayor Max Mickelson said. “It is imperative on us to have an ability to respond in the event that there is some emergent event.”

Ambulance service has been a major topic for other Council members as well. Councilman Tim Robinson said he and Councilman Randy Hansen had a discussion with Fire Chief Jim Wamsley at a local coffee shop recently where Wamsley talked about the used ambulance the fire department wanted to purchase. Robinson said there will be more discussions about ambulance services, but he views the long-term solution to be independent of Castle Rock Hospital District service.

“I think the long-term vision is for Rock Springs to start working on its own ambulance service to benefit the City of Rock Springs, so we don’t have to worry about any of the potential fallout from other providers,” Robinson said.

Mickelson said ambulance service is a difficult topic to address nationwide and while he recognizes Castle Rock is working hard to address the local need, he said it would be hard for a Council representative to tell someone their child died “but that’s just the breaks.” He thinks discussion about the city providing at least some form of ambulance service to city residents would be worthwhile to have.