SLIPPERY ROCK — A Butler attorney on Tuesday asked borough council to form a committee to study the efficiency of the Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Team’s ambulance service.

“I predict problems (if nothing is done),” said Larry Rodgers of W.L. Rodgers Associates.

Rodgers said that EMS services are tax-exempt but supported by tax dollars. By state law, he said, the borough council is responsible for the EMS performance. He said he would like the council to exert its authority to look into the EMS service.

But council took no action on his request.

Rodgers’ recommendation came after a borough resident complained to council about an incident involving an ambulance.

Jeff Shaw, who lives in the Madison Grove apartments, said that he called the Butler County 911 center for an ambulance on June 23 when his mother had a medical problem. He claims that the ambulance took more than an hour to get there and his mother almost died.

When he requested a report from the ambulance service about that run, the times were wrong and a lot of information was redacted, he said.

Puddie Taggart, medical officer for the fire company, said in an interview that the company dispatched an ambulance within one minute of Shaw’s call. However, that vehicle broke down.

She said the company turned the call over to Superior Ambulance, which had an ambulance to her within 26 minutes of the initial call.

Taggart said the report’s redacted information was required due to privacy laws.

Rodgers told council that Slippery Rock’s EMS service has achieved “less than excellence.”

He said he talked with an expert about the ambulance service, who gave Slippery Rock’s service a “five (out of 10).” However, he said that anecdotal evidence from other people suggests that service is worse.

Councilman Ron Steele, who is president and captain of the fire company, asked Rodgers who the expert was. Rodgers said he would not make that public.

In an interview with the Butler Eagle, Rodgers said that the expert is well-known throughout the state.

Steele asked Rodgers how many ambulances the company had. Rodgers said he did not know.

Steele said that the study he did must not have been too good.

When council members criticized Rodgers for giving out information without providing a source, he advised them to not “shoot the messenger.”