TULSA, Okla — On Nov. 12, the Tulsa City Council approved an ordinance that will allow the Tulsa Fire Department to bill drivers' insurance companies when they have to respond to car wrecks.
It's all to help increase the department's funding.
The ordinance isn't part of a new policy.
Several other cities, like Bixby and Sand Springs, have adopted the ordinance.
“It is a confusing thing," said Sand Springs Fire Chief Jeremy Wade. "I think the fear is that people are afraid that this is something new.”
Like Sand Springs, the Tulsa Fire Department will only bill drivers involved in the accident who have insurance.
According to Tulsa’s Fire Department, only at-fault drivers will be billed and insurance companies will determine the fault.
If drivers disagree with the decision, they can appeal it to the Fire Chief and, if they are still not satisfied with the outcome, to the city council.
“There's different levels, and again, I'm speaking for Sand Springs, I can't speak for Tulsa," said Wade. "I don't know specifically what they're billing for, but so like car wrecks, certain technical issue, hazmat incidents that involve companies.”
Tulsa’s also doing something similar.
This was the chart presented at the November 12th City Council meeting outlining the charges TFD would bill insurance companies based on the four levels of severity.
According to the chart, insurance companies can be billed up to $1,865.
People are worried their premiums will go up because their insurance companies are receiving these bills.
According to Tulsa, the amount of money insurance companies are being charged shouldn’t affect premiums.
Bills will be sent straight to insurance companies, so drivers shouldn't receive any bills.
For more information on the ordinance, people can watch the City Council meeting here.
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