JEFFERSON COUNTY, Neb. - Discussions of ambulance and EMS services continued at Tuesday's Jefferson County Commissioners meeting. 

Before the meeting began, commissioner Mark Schoenrock explained the commissioners' devotion to quality ambulance services as members of the department filled the room to attend the meeting. 

The meeting included a briefing from Ryan Hamburger, CEO of South Central EMS, from Fillmore County. One of the points of emphasis for Hamburger was the importance of reimbursement. 

"You have to put fuel in the truck, you have to pay to clean it, and it's not cheap," Hamburger said. "One of my vendors said prices are up 13% on equipment. It's really really hard to maintain services when the prices are all going up, but reimbursement rates are going down."

Hamburger noted his departments do charge for services at events such as high school and small college football games, county fairs, and race track events. Hamburger noted Jefferson County's ambulance services are "ahead of the curve."

"Been trying to get that same thing in Fillmore [County]... It comes down to everybody has to be on the same page and everyone's got to put their heart into it and everyone has to be on the same page."

A public forum on EMS services will be held in August.