Augusta leaders map out plans with new ambulance provider
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - After the Georgia Department of Public Health officially awarded Augusta’s ambulance zone to Central Emergency Medical Service, city leaders held a special work session Thursday.
At the meeting, the Augusta Commission began mapping out the next steps for the city after Tuesday’s decision by state officials.
No negotiations took place at the meeting, but it was an informational gathering to start negotiations soon.
“It’s going to start the talks to how we could perhaps move along the of solidifying a contract, put it in place, so it protects the citizens of Augusta as it relates to emergency care,” Mayor Garnett Johnson said in explaining why the meeting was needed.
Gary L. Coker, president of Central, said he wanted to narrow down a cost based on what the city wants.
“What we have to do is to identify what type of ambulance system you want here. What are the needs here,” he said.
A lot of talking points were put down, but the biggest reassurance was that Central would start ambulance service on May 8, with or without a contract deal.
Commissioner District 8 Brandon Garrett said: “I’m not really sure I’m comfortable with Augusta being the guinea pig for the first time they try this approach. They’ve stated that in some of the other communities that they do service in, that there’s a flat fee.”
The biggest factor is a 10 percent net profit.
Commissioner for District 3 Catherine Smith-McKnight said: “Unfortunately, a lot of people were not paying Gold Cross. I think that that 10 percent right there is saying that they want to make sure that they are covered as well.”
There will be a committee formed to come up with the of the contract, for example, how many ambulances will be needed for the response times the city wants. The committee will be made up of local EMS experts like the ones who recommended central to the DPH.
No one from the commission will be on the committee.
Coker said, “that committee should have professionals on the ES, fire chief, EMS director.”
We caught up with Mayor Johnson on his thoughts about the commission not being a part of this committee.
“I agree with that. I think it’s best that we let the subject experts, go out and listen and derive a program that benefits our entire county. Because sometimes when you engage in politics it gets a little bit more cumbersome and a lot more difficult to get a decision made. So at least by engaging, not only of our employment force that handles 911, fire service, but I also like the idea of engaging some of our health care partners throughout the region,” he said.
Some of the health care partners he wants to include are Piedmont, Augusta University, and Doctors Hospital.
The mayor is working to make those committee meetings open to the public so people can sit in on the process.
In February, Coker said he could have 20 ambulances ready in 60 days, depending on what city leaders want or can pay for.
A new ambulance provider is needed because Gold Cross, which had provided ambulance service for years, pulled out after the city refused to give it the subsidies it wanted.
Gold Cross is on a month-to-month contract until Central’s ambulances start rolling.
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