July 03, 2025
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Streator council to talk about deal with Reading Fire Protection District to provide ambulance service until its referendum

Deal calls for Reading to pay $25,000 to cover service costs until referendum

By Derek Barichello
Streator ambulance

While the city of Streator has agreed to provide ambulance service to Reading and Long Point fire protection districts, the Streator City Council is expected to discuss tentative agreements Tuesday for those districts to pay for the service. (Photo provided by Streator Fire Department)

While the city of Streator has agreed to provide ambulance service to Reading and Long Point fire protection districts, the Streator City Council is expected to discuss tentative agreements Tuesday for those districts to pay for the service.

Reading and Long Point fire protection districts will need to pass a referendum to raise property taxes to pay for ambulance services. The soonest these referendum can go on the ballot is April.

In 2021, Advanced Medical Transport, the previous ambulance provider, responded to 368 calls in Reading’s district, which would amount to a bill more than $100,000. In 2021, the Reading Fire Protection District received $76,000 total from taxes levied, meaning it would need to more than double its tax revenue to make a payment to Streator. Reading fire trustees had told the council the district couldn’t afford the cost.

Streator is proposing a contract that discounts EMS charges to Reading, in order to give it time to obtain funding. The deal will charge Reading’s district $25,000 to cover all EMS costs through April. If the referendum passes, the district will pay another $25,000 through Dec. 31, 2023.

Reading Township Volunteer Fire Department

Reading Township Volunteer Fire Department (Derek Barichello)

Then, in 2024, the city of Streator will begin charging Reading’s district $450 per call for a minimum of three years.

If the referendum fails, the city will not be obligated to provide EMS services to Reading’s district, according to the proposal.

Long Point and Allen Township have agreed to pay the city $450 per call. Long Point had 32 calls last year and Allen Township (which serves the Ransom area) asks Streator cover the western part of its district, including Ransom and Kernan, if Allen Township is unable to respond to a call. The agreement estimates Streator will need to respond to about 10 calls per year. The Allen Township agreement is modeled after an agreement it made with Dwight to cover its eastern portion. The agreement with Long Point is modeled after an agreement Cornell made with Pontiac to provide its ambulance services.

Streator’s ambulance service went live Oct. 1, operating from the fire station. Reading, Long Point and the western portion of Allen Township’s fire protection districts are being served by Streator’s emergency ambulance service. City staff are expected to give the City Council an update at the committee of the whole meeting 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, on how the service has been going.