04/05/2026
Ambulance service to rural townships continues to be a challenge not only in Ashtabula County, but around the state of Ohio.
Ohio 65th District State Representative David Thomas is co-sponsoring legislation that would make ambulance service mandatory for government entities throughout the state and provide a financial benefit for those that consolidate services with other entities.
Ambulance service has been especially problematic in the Southeast portion of Ashtabula County, after the closure of the Andover Emergency Room in Spring 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic.
Many of the rural townships and villages don’t have the financial tax base to easily fund emergency services. Thomas’s legislation would provide a potential grant for government groups joining together to create a district to provide services.
Two such districts have been handling emergency ambulance services in Ashtabula County for 50 years. South Central Ambulance District and Northwest Ambulance District service much of the Southwest and Northwest portions of the county, respectively.
“We cannot continue to shift the tax burden for EMS to those who have the service and are paying for it while those who use it don’t pay,” Thomas said in an email.
Thomas said some areas are receiving mutual aid services from existing districts without paying for it. This has become an issue with SCAD and the Southeast portion of the county, which is serviced primarily by Community Care Ambulance.
SCAD Executive Director Shaun Buehner said he met with Community Care Ambulance and township and village leaders in the Andover area to express concerns that he can no longer make all the mutual aid calls from outside the district.
Ashtabula County commissioners Casey Kozlowski and J.P. Ducro have been working with leaders in an attempt to create a district in the area, but finances are a problem.
The tax base in the rural townships means millage would have to be much higher than present to create a long-term functioning district. Kozlowski said it is still his opinion that a district in the area is necessary, and would like to continue to be involved in the discussions.
Buehner said the meeting with Community Care Ambulance was helpful, as service to the area has improved.
Andover Village Council President Randy Gentry said he understands SCAD’s concerns about handling many calls outside their jurisdiction without funding. He said discussions with CCA have created more service when an ambulance has to leave the district for a hospital outside the area.
CCA presently services the village of Andover and surrounding townships. Andover Township Trustee William French said the township recently signed their contract with Community Care.
When the emergency room was open, the turnaround before an ambulance was back in service was quick, but that is no longer the case because transports are to Chardon, Ashtabula, Conneaut, Meadville or Youngstown.
Gentry said he is somewhat concerned that the proposed mandatory ambulance service will become another unfunded mandate. Buehner said he would like to see the ambulance grant be available for existing districts to upgrade services.
Thomas said the legislation would encourage government leaders to lower costs.
“I think we all have to be very open to changes and how we provide services moving forward, because our taxpayers simply can’t afford the status quo,” Thomas said.
Local leaders also expressed concerns about property taxes going away completely or being drastically reduced, causing further confusion to the ambulance funding situation.
Ambulance service to rural townships continues to be a challenge not only in Ashtabula County, but around the state of Ohio.
