City, fire department team up for new program

Fountain Valley debuted a new program July 1 to raise money for paramedic training and equipment by offering residents a form of insurance on emergency medical assessments.

The Fountain Valley Fire Department and the city are starting the Paramedic Membership Program, a voluntary program that covers the cost of an emergency response assessment. The Fire Department charges residents $300 for medical aid administered when the patient is taken to the hospital.

The $60 annual membership covers everyone in the household, including guests, and exempts them from paying the fee. However, residents are still charged a fee for the ambulance ride.

The funds collected from the program will go toward training and equipment for the advanced life support paramedics.

Huntington Beach has a similar program, FireMed, which serves about 28,000 households.

For more information, call (714) 596-4436 or go to https://www.fountainvalley.org and click on NEW Paramedic Membership Program.

—Britney Barnes