Providence candidates discuss fire-ambulance service

Candidates for Providence City mayor agree what some priorities would be if they are elected. Ron Liechty and Lance Campbell both say there needs to be a focus on the commercial area and on roads and infrastructure.

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In the past, the Logan Fire Department has proposed building a satellite fire and ambulance station in Providence. At a candidate forum Thursday, sponsored by 610 KVNU and CacheValleyDaily.com, both were asked what they thought of the idea.Campbell, a member of the Providence City Planning and Zoning board, said it might not be financially feasible right now, but it would be a good way to go. “When you think about your family and the response time, and the difference in two minutes or three minutes is a major thing,” Campbell said, “when you think about somebody next door, if the ambulance could get there in time. I would be in support of it if we could financially do it. And anything we can do that Logan City can help us out on will save us a lot of money.”Liechty agreed that a fire and ambulance station located closer to Providence City residents would be beneficial, speaking from personal experience. “A couple of years ago I had a direct incident with this deal with the fire station,” Liechty joked, referring to an incident at his home several years ago where a significant portion of his home caught fire.”We have an opportunity with a fire station and ambulance service here for the city which would bring services to us much quicker,” Liechty continued. “But, as was spoken by the council (candidates) earlier, my concern is is it cost-effective for us to do that right now? If we had, and I agree with Lance, if we had the money to do that, and the income to do that we ought to look at that. But right now we don’t and I think it would be some time down the road before it’s possible to do that, but it should. I’d like to have the ambulance service to my door in one minute instead of seven. Because that’s what it is from Providence to Logan, seven minutes. It took them seven-and-a-half to get to my house.” Liechty, a current member of the city council, says it’s been talked about for some time. Both candidates agreed such a project should have a great deal of public input.

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