An ambulance ride in Okeechobee may cost some considerably more, as will the hiring of firefighters and EMTS for special duties now that the county is raising its rates by more than 100 percent for certain levels of fire fighters and medical personnel.

Officials said it’s been four years since the rates have been adjusted and they now fall in line with other communities. Those comparison communities of Miami-Dade, Boca Raton and Delray Beach are much larger and wealthier.

Justin Hazellief, the chief over emergency operations for the county says most residents won’t be impacted by the fee changes because they are on Medicaid or Medicare which has a set rate that it reimburses the county.

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