Lawrence County’s government will soon be going into the ambulance business.

Whether or not this is a good idea remains a highly debatable issue but the bottom line is county officials need to have a clear focus on the bottom line.

The Southeast Ohio Emergency Medical Services board voted to dissolve the ambulance district at the end of the year.

Although ambulance service is extremely important for Lawrence County residents, there are a number of financial factors that must be considered during this process.

Taxpayers want to know that it won’t cost them more money for services they may or may not ever use.

The big question remains: Can an ambulance service operate at a break-even or profitable level so that taxpayers don’t have to continue to foot the bill?

County commissioners deserve praise for being prepared to move forward with a plan to handle county service solely for Lawrence County, a move that should work better.

But we urge the county commissioners not to make knee-jerk reactions as part of this decision and look for a short-term solution such as contracting the service out in order to buy time to create the best long-term solution.

Knowing that an ambulance will be on its way in times of emergency is very important to the quality of life in Lawrence County. But it is also vital that county leaders don’t have to put out a cry for help if this doesn’t work.