Augusta leaders unanimously OK stopgap ambulance deal

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta Fee members on Tuesday accepted a month-to-month contract for ambulance service from Gold Cross Emergency Medical Companies.

The brand new contract takes impact Wednesday morning. A earlier memorandum of understanding was used as the idea for the contract, which requires eight ambulances and a 30-day discover for termination.

Officers say the contract, which the Augusta Fee accepted unanimously, will value $250,000 the primary month after which $150,000 after that.

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Gold Cross, which has been the ambulance supplier for years, surrendered the Augusta emergency medical companies zone after metropolis leaders refused to approve a longer-term contract calling for thousands and thousands in subsidies for the corporate. Gold Cross mentioned it wanted the subsidies as a result of rising prices and the variety of individuals in Augusta who don’t pay for service.

Augusta can’t go with out ambulance service, so the state will appoint a brand new supplier. The month-to-month cope with Gold Cross will guarantee the town nonetheless has ambulance service till the state-appointed supplier takes over.

Mayor Garnett Johnson needs the town to regulate the EMS zone so Augusta officers can maintain the supplier accountable. A particular assembly is anticipated Feb. 9 with the Georgia Division of Public Well being on getting the zone again.

In the meantime, the Augusta Hearth Division may come into play in future emergency medical companies.

Hearth Chief Antonio Burden sketched out for fee members on Tuesday a job for so-called quick-response autos.

Burden mentioned the Augusta Hearth Division responded to over 26,000 calls final 12 months, 63% of which had been medical-related. He mentioned his company can sometimes reply to the scene of medical emergencies quicker than Gold Cross.

He mentioned if his company will get these autos – that are a nationwide pattern – they’d be resolution of reduction for firetrucks.

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