PJSTAR.com has an article which states that AMR has become the EMS provider for Chillicothe, replacing the suspended Rescue 33 Volunteer Ambulance Corp.
The Rescue 33 garage grew quiet Tuesday as the ambulance service prepares to challenge its permanent suspension by the Peoria Area EMS.
Ambulance Rescue 33 did make a few calls overnight until its suspension officially began at 6 a.m. Tuesday. The squad has 15 days to formally challenge the suspension.
“AMT is covering everything that Rescue 33 covered before,” said Chillicothe Fire Chief John Myers on Tuesday morning about the coverage area, squelching any of the rumors of other ambulance services covering the area. An Advanced Medical Transport ambulance was parked Tuesday at Chillicothe Fire Station No. 1.
Myers said he was told by EMS officials the fire chief of an area decides who responds to an emergency. When he was notified Thursday night, he said the decision did not leave much time as the deadline loomed.
The ambulance service roughly covers the same area as the Chillicothe city and community fire departments combined, possibly including 15,000 people. Both take in a small area of Marshall County as well.
AMT is a not-for-profit community organization which maintains 32 Advanced Life Support ambulances, operating in Peoria, Pekin, Streator, Mercer County and Dubuque, Iowa, according to its website.
Myers said it is his understanding that if AMT is responding to a call, an ambulance will be moved to within the coverage area, which could mean somewhere in Rome or Mossville.
Rescue 33 began in the 1960s and has stayed true to its beginning of not charging for its services.
Rescue 33 originally had only volunteer emergency medical technicians with a basic license. In recent years the squad went to paying some EMTs for part-time help, which is driving up the costs of the service.
Rescue 33 President Ron Hedden said for the squad to change to full-time paid positions could mean an estimated expense of $300,000 to $400,000.
Rescue 33 relies upon donations and fundraisers. Bailey’s Labor Day Breakfast on Monday raised $19,000 and counting, according to Hedden.
“We thank everyone for their support, and as soon as we know anything we’ll let everyone know,” said Hedden.
Residents also are showing their support for Rescue 33, with a Facebook group called SOA – Save Our Ambulance. Volunteers gathered signatures for petitions at the breakfast Monday morning.
The complete article is HERE.
