Twiggs County Working Toward Obtaining An Ambulance License

JEFFERSONVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Twiggs County Commissioners hit another bump in the road while trying to get ambulance service in their community.

Tuesday, Georgia Department of Heath officials told the commissioners, they needed a license before choosing an ambulance service. State health representatives laid out a criteria of how to apply for an ambulance service license.

Twiggs officials unanimously voted to apply for the 911 license.

In a previous 41NBC interview, State Senator David Lucas, District 26 said Twiggs County was in need of an ambulance. Lucas complained that it took the Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG) more than 45 minutes to respond to 911 calls in the community.

Lucas was joined by Twiggs County Commissioner, Donald Floyd who gave examples of patients having to be transported to the hospital by county’s sheriff, Darren Mitchum.

Since that time, three potential companies have made presentations before the Twiggs County Board of Commissioners. Med Pro EMS said they would be able to provide service at an annual cost of $307,000. Choice Care gave the commissioners a $200,000 annual estimate, and Magnolia Ambulance Service said they needed $40,000 as start up fee for the first year. Afterwards, Magnolia representatives said they would become self-sufficient.

“Money dosen’t mean nothing to me when compared to a person’s life,” said Twiggs County Commissioner, Tommie Lee Bryant. “A life is more valuable than money and I’m hoping that we make a good decision.”

Georgia Department of Public Health Region 5 EMS Program Director, Russ McGee and Georgia Department of Public Health Program Director for Region VI, Office of EMS, Ernie Doss said there is a possibility the county could get an additional ambulance service and still keep their current service with the MCCG.

“We requested for those gentlemen to come down and give us the information that we need,” said Bryant So, that we could be able to change the permit for the 911 and that we start doing things ourselves and be the governing authority in Twiggs County for our people.

All of the commissioners agreed, they want the best service for the taxpayers of Twiggs County.