Submitted article
On April 30, 2015, Crawford County Prosecutor Matthew Crall was notified by legal counsel of the ambulance service provider for the Central Joint Ambulance District, Life Support, Inc., that his client desires to allow the Ambulance District the ability to obtain a new ambulance service. Due to pending litigation in Richland County, the company could not obtain the contractually required performance bond. The company also cited an extremely hostile group of community members to their employees as a reason to end their contract.
The contract between the District and Life Support, Inc., requires a minimum of thirty (30) days’ notice prior to ceasing any operation. Life Support, Inc. has assured the District that they will remain serving the District until a new ambulance service can become operational.
According to County Prosecutor Matthew Crall, “There is no truth to the rumor that Life Support intends to stop servicing 9-1-1 calls. If they did so, they would do so at their own legal peril. I have requested Sheriff Scott Kent closely monitor all 9-1-1 calls involving the dispatching of ambulance to assure that the ambulance service is continuing to provide the services required by contract.”
The Central Joint Ambulance District has scheduled a special meeting for May 4 at 7 p.m. to discuss how to proceed. Township Fire Chiefs have been asked to attend this meeting to discuss contingency plans should the District ever be left without an ambulance service.
Crall added, “The Central Joint Ambulance Board and the Emergency Management Agency of the County have an obligation to ensure there are no breaks in service. Monday’s meeting will involve a discussion as to putting a contingency plan in place if that were ever to happen. I am advising the District to immediately begin the bidding process to obtain a new ambulance service to provide the service residents of the District have come to expect.”
The Central Joint Ambulance District includes the City of Bucyrus, the Village of New Washington, Auburn Township, Bucyrus Township, Chatfield Township, Cranberry Township, Dallas Township, Holmes Township, Jackson Township, Jefferson Township, Liberty Township, Lykens Township, Sandusky Township, Tod Township, Vernon Township, and Whetstone Township.