The Western Payne County Ambulance Trust Authority (WPCATA) and LifeNet, Inc. recently announced plans to open a new ground ambulance post in Perkins, Oklahoma.
Located at 715 West 116th Street, just west of Perkins on State Highway 33, the new post will operate in conjunction with the other three posts where LifeNet is located across Western Payne County, Oklahoma.
The new post will house one 24-hour ambulance providing advanced life support (ALS) level care to the citizens of Perkins 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
“Our plan is to move in by December 1, if all the remodeling to the new location can be completed by then,“ said Kelly McCauley, general manager of LifeNet in Stillwater. “We have signed a five-year lease on the location with an opportunity for an extension, and the new landlords hope to get the remodeling done by the end of the month.”
Headquartered in Texarkana, LifeNet operates ground and air ambulance services throughout parts of Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. LifeNet started providing ground ambulance service in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in May 2011, after being selected by the WPCATA.
Founded in 2009, WPCATA is responsible for assuring quality emergency medical service (EMS) for the western two-thirds of Payne County and surrounding areas. WPCATA is led by a board of directors who oversee the EMS services provided by LifeNet to ensure that quality and financial standards are met.
“We have looked at posting an ambulance in Perkins several times over the last eight years, but we were never able to find the perfect location at the right time. We believe this new location is not only ideal, but the timing is also right,” McCauley said. “WPCATA was instrumental in helping us get an ambulance in Perkins.”
City Manager Bob Ernst had similar sentiments.
“Having an ambulance stationed in, or very near, Perkins will be a huge asset for the people of Perkins. I am very excited about this taking place. I very much appreciate LifeNet taking this step to assist us, and I also appreciate the members of the WPCATA Board for helping make this a reality,” Ernst said.
Perkins residents who are net yet enrolled in WPCATA’s Resident Benefit Program (RBP), might consider looking into enrollment.
“As an RBP member, if you’re transported by LifeNet within the WPCATA service area, LifeNet will bill your insurance, Medicare or Medicaid provider and accept their payment as payment-in-full. If your insurance provider denies a LifeNet claim, or you don’t have coverage, you’ll be charged a reduced fee (40% off standard rates) for service,” McCauley said.
LifeNet is a not-for-profit service accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), which is the gold standard for patient care in the ambulance industry. For more information on LifeNet in Western Payne County, call 405-707-0007