(STURGIS) – Ambulance service for the City of Sturgis and some of the eastern townships was discussed Wednesday night.

Sturgis Director of Public Safety Ryan Banaszak provided an update to the City Commission about what's been going in with the talks between the City and Life Care Ambulance. The current contract is set to expire at the end of April 2022 and both entities have been discussing long term solutions to see ambulance service continue.

One of the options discussed was a co-op between Life Care and the Sturgis Fire Department. Life Care would hire additional staff for the Sturgis Fire Department and pay their salaries to staff an additional ambulance out of Sturgis. This would give 24 hour ambulance coverage for Sturgis and some of the eastern townships.

Banaszak shares that solution will not be able to happen. ...... {LISTEN}.

Banaszak says the City is looking at what the next step would be for the City to continue to have 24 hour EMS coverage. He says the St. Joseph County Ambulance Committee is meeting Thursday to discuss with Life Care future coverage and the struggles Life Care is having.

The City Commission called for a special meeting December 15 to talk about what options Life Care presents during the meeting and what Sturgis should look at doing.