Whitefish is increasing the fee paid by non-city residents for membership in its ambulance subscription program.

The RescueCare program allows city residents and non-residents to pay an annual fee for ambulance service. The membership covers an entire household against the cost for emergency and medically necessary ambulance service in and around Whitefish.

City Council last week approved an increase to $185. The fee was previously $79, which was set in May 2000 when the program began.

City residents or property owners can subscribe for $59 per year. That rate is not changing.

Fire Chief Joe Page said the cost of maintaining ambulance service including the vehicles, equipment, and paramedic level staffing is huge and the taxpayers of the city of Whitefish have supported it.

The average home in Whitefish has a taxable value of $250,000 and contributes about $180 annually to the Fire Department budget, which is broken down between emergency medical services and fire. The average property owner pays about $126 toward the EMS budget, and those outside the city pay into the Flathead County EMS system.

Page said as a result city property owners are contributing a disproportionate amount compared to non-residents for equal service.

As a result, Page recommended adjusting the non-resident fee to match the contribution by city residents.