$500 fee for non-emergency lifting assistance splits Lafayette council

Takeaways from Monday’s city council meetings: Tax break endorsed for $340M Sustainea project in Lafayette. New maps shed light on rentals in WL neighborhoods. Rainbow Trout Solar goes to court.

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$500 FEE FOR NON-EMERGENCY LIFTING ASSISTANCE SPLITS LAFAYETTE COUNCIL

Assisted living facilities would face fees of $500 every time they call on the Lafayette Fire Department to make non-emergency runs to help lift someone, based on a proposal the city council gave initial approval to Monday.

Lafayette Fire Chief Brian Alkire said the proposal was meant to encourage nursing homes and assisted living facilities to train staff or buy equipment that could help lift people back into bed or into chairs in non-emergency situations, rather than relying on firefighters to respond.

(Photo: Dave Bangert)

The city council split, voting 6-2, over concerns that the fees were too much and would be passed along to residents.

Alkire said the fire department had been working, with some success, to get assisted living facilities to limit calls for lifting assistance. After 79 calls in 2023 and 78 calls in 2024, the number so far in 2025 are at 39 for non-emergency lifting assistance, he told council members. Alkire said the runs took firefighters away from emergency calls and left the city liable for injuries sustained when lifting someone.

Under the proposed ordinance, facilities would be on the hook for $500 fees for the first three times Lafayette firefighters were called to help in a calendar year. A fourth call in a calendar would bring a $1,000 fee.

The fees wouldn’t apply to call to someone’s home.

Alkire said the proposal was modeled after a similar one in Westfield.

Council member Melissa Weast-Williamson said she couldn’t support a plan that could put a $500 fee on residents, particularly those living on fixed incomes. She predicted that facilities would pass that fee on to residents.