The township board of a township or the county board of commissioners may operate or join with another municipality or contract with individuals, firms, organizations, or corporations in operating or furnishing an ambulance and inhalator service for the use and benefit of the residents of the township or county. The service by the township or the county may be in connection with fire protection service or as a separate operation.

     Any municipal or private ambulance driver or attendant or policeman or fireman engaged in emergency first aid service, who, in good faith renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency, shall not be liable for any civil damages as a result of acts or omissions in rendering the emergency care, except acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or wilful and wanton misconduct.

     The municipality, person, firm, organization or corporation employing any ambulance driver, attendant, policeman or fireman engaged in performing emergency first aid service, shall require that they pass a red cross first aid course before they shall be entitled to the protection of this act.

     A township board may, by majority vote, pay from unexpended balances in its contingent fund to any hospital a sum that fairly represents the reasonable share of the township in the maintenance and support of the hospital whose facilities are made available to the residents of the township at standard rates. However, the hospital and township board shall agree upon the number of residents of the township to which the hospital shall make facilities available during each year.

    (1) A township, alone or in conjunction with 1 or more other townships, may operate a medical clinic and provide primary health care services.

    (2) A township board may finance the operation of a medical clinic and the provision of primary health care service by any lawful means, including, but not limited to, the levy of a tax of not more than 2 mills on taxable property within the township. If a township board desires to levy a tax under this subsection, it shall submit the question of levying the tax to the electors of the township at a general or special election. The question submitted shall state the purpose of the tax, the number of mills to be levied, and the duration of the tax. The election shall be conducted and the vote shall be canvassed as provided in the Michigan election law, Act No. 116 of the Public Acts of 1954, being sections 168.1 to 168.992 of the Michigan Compiled Laws. If a majority of the electors voting on the question approve the levy of the tax, the township board is authorized to levy the tax.

    (3) An election, held after September 30, 1991 and before December 21, 1991 in a township located on an island, in which the electors approved the levy of a tax for 5 years to finance the operation of a medical clinic and the provision of primary health care service by the township, alone or in conjunction with another township, for residents of the township or townships, is valid and the tax may be levied for that purpose.