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Sawtooth EMS will begin serving the Heron area next week.

Sheriff Shawn Fielders told The Ledger on Tuesday that the sheriff’s office has agreed to dispatch the private ambulance service within the boundaries of the Heron Fire District. “We got a tremendous amount of comments both ways,” Sheriff Fielders said. “What it boiled down to was what was the best service for the community.”

Fielders stated the target date is October 15 for dispatching to Sawtooth. He said a few tests have already been completed, with more scheduled for this week. He noted that if someone calls from within the Heron Fire District for an ambulance, Sawtooth will respond. If they are not available, then the sheriff’s office will dispatch another service, as they would with any other call.

“I think it’s the best for the community,” Fielders added.

Dave Niesen with Sawtooth EMS said everything is in place and they are ready to go. The private ambulance service has 13 volunteers and has already begun transporting patients. Niesen said their billing capability for Medicare and Medicaid is now in place, and dispatch capabilities have been set up with the sheriff’s office.

“The first runs have been very smooth and the hospitals have been receptive to having another ambulance service available,” Niesen stated.

Sawtooth has two ambulances in Heron, one stored off of Highway 200 and one off of Upper River Road. “That gives us the ability to respond more quickly and mitigates any issues such as trains blocking the crossing at Heron,” Niesen noted.

Niesen said the biggest driving force for Sawtooth was shortening response times. “It’s been a long process with a fair amount of bureaucracy, but we’re happy to be here and excited to get started,” he added.

The Heron Fire District serves from the Idaho state line to about mile marker 8 on Highway 200. At a meeting this summer, county commissioners had explained that no taxpayer money was available for Sawtooth as the current levy only included the four existing ambulance services in Noxon, Thompson Falls, Plains and Hot Springs. Any changes to that level would have to be decided by Sanders County voters.