By ERIC SLAGLE Daily News Staff Writer eslagle@dailynewsemail.com Forward Township Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution making Jefferson Hills EMS its official ambulance service. Jefferson Hills EMS and Forward Township Volunteer Fire Co. previously had shared EMS responsibilities in the township . The measure was unanimously approved by a 3-0 vote. Supervisor Dave Magiske said the move to a single service comes after months of negotiations between the two providers. It was spurred by Jefferson Hills EMS notice to the township that it no longer was viable for it to run an ambulance rescue service in the township because it was splitting its earnings with the fire company. Magiske said Jefferson Hills EMS was covering approximately 95 percent of the calls in the township but only recovering 50 percent of its service fee, with the rest going to the fire company. He said the company was not always prepared to meet

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the EMS needs of the township and that it ceased operations altogether in November. The township does not subsidize its EMS provider. Fees are collected from users of the service, according to Magiske. Supervisor Tom Headley noted during the meeting that the two providers had reached an agreement that would compensate the fire company for the financial loss it would incur as a result of discontinuing its service. Supervisors Chairman Tom DeRosa said the fire company may suffer a little bit financially, but the first responsibility for the township was making sure residents are receiving quality emergency services. It was probably the best deal we could work out for the residents of the township ,DeRosa said.It may not have been what the fire company wanted. Supervisors said they have been more than satisfied with Jefferson Hills EMS response times, which on average are eight to 10 minutes per call. The company receives about one call per day in Forward Township . Jefferson Hills EMS responds to 5,000 calls yearly in its coverage communities, which also include Jefferson Hills, West Elizabeth, and Union Township .