ST. CHARLES — The St. Charles County Ambulance District needs about three years to build up staffing and buy additional ambulances in order to takeover paramedic services in St. Charles, officials said Tuesday.

The ambulance district already has two ambulances in the city and would add a minimum of three more to cover the city of 72,000 residents, if the plan is approved by the St. Charles City Council.

Leaders of the ambulance district along with officials from the St. Charles Fire Department were at the City Council work session to discuss a proposal that would see the fire department discontinue its ambulance service and move those personnel into firefighting roles.

The department's employees are trained to do both, and firefighters would continue to give "advanced life support care"

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