AMR declines to provide service to Quincy

QUINCY - Quincy is negotiating with a different ambulance company after American Medical Response chose not to take over service for the city.

The Department of Health awarded the trauma certification to AMR, following Quincy Valley Medical Center's decision to end its ambulance service on July 11.

After receiving additional figures from the hospital, company representatives told city officials it would need more money to provide the service the city and fire district wanted, Mayor Jim Hemberry told the city council during a recent meeting. The city and district pledged to give the company $200,000 to run the service.

"I'm not going to even ask my council that, and I seriously doubt the fire commissioners will be too interested in hearing that," he said.

When Hemberry contacted the state Department of Health, officials decided to work with Protection 1, the other company vying for the trauma certification, to make it eligible, Hemberry said. The department didn't choose Protection 1 because the company reportedly had deficiencies.

Brian Williamson, Protection 1's president and owner explained the deficiencies were minor with the majority being related to the equipment. The company planned to purchase the equipment from the hospital district.

"There are a few deficiencies with being contracted with (the Multi Agency Communications Center) dispatch," he said. "That is being corrected right now."

The company also needs a mutual aid agreement with the fire agencies, and is working on fixing the issue as well, Williamson said.

"I don't see any problems with correcting any of those deficiencies," he said.

The company is processing new information from the hospital district, Williamson said. After AMR took over the contract to serve the Gorge Amphitheater, the company is readjusting its budget since it will only serve Quincy.

Protection 1 was formed by Quincy Valley Medical Center employees after the hospital announced plans to end the ambulance service, Williamson said.

"So basically, I went out and purchased all of the equipment required to run an ambulance service," he said. "We currently own two ambulances and all of the equipment in them."

Williamson is also looking at purchasing two additional units from the hospital, he said.

The department plans to certify Protection 1 by July 18, and he wants to negotiate with the company on how much service it plans to provide the city, Hemberry said.

"You can sit here and complain about AMR all you want, but that's a done deal," he said. "What we have to do now is move forward ... We said we would abide by whatever the Department of Health decided, and rather than go out and start the whole process over, they're willing to work with Protection 1 and get them certification."

AMR will provide service to the city between July 11 and July 18, Williamson said.

"I've been talking with AMR pretty closely. AMR put a hand out for us to help get us started, and said, 'If you need any help, we're more than happy to get you started,'" he said. "They'll do it as long as we need to get it up and running."