Questions Remain in Sudden First Med Shutdown

Editor's note: For additional updates on the status in several states, see the following reports:

Ohio: Paramedics Laid Off As State's Largest EMS Provider Closes

Virginia: Ambulance company lays off hundreds of workers in Virginia

Kentucky: MedCorp shutdown threatening local EMS operations

North Carolina: First Med EMS Shuts Down Bertie County Operations

Dec. 09--First Med Inc., a private medical transportation company headquartered in Wilmington, appears to have abruptly closed its doors.

Multiple people who identified themselves as local employees of the company said they were told Friday the company was closed and that First Med planned to file for bankruptcy.

As of Monday, no filing could be found.

A woman who answered the door at the company's offices at The Cotton Exchange declined to comment.

Chief Executive Officer Bryan Gibson could not be reached for comment Monday.

First Med's website has been down "for maintenance" since this weekend. A call to a number listed for the company prompted a "no comment" from the person who answered the phone.

It's unknown how many local employees are affected by the shutdown, but the company employs more than 2,000 nationwide, officials said last year.

A dispatcher who worked in the Wilmington office for six months said he learned about the company closing on the social networking site, Facebook.

"The order was given from the CEO to all the directors of the departments to contact people," Jason Spencer said. "I haven't been contacted still."

Spencer said he contacted his immediate supervisor Saturday, but she did not know much about what was happening in the company other than people were now unemployed.

"It's been a crazy ride," he said.

Spencer said he was scheduled to work a shift Sunday and went to the office just to see if he could retrieve personal items from his desk.

When he arrived, however, he could not get inside the building. Spencer said the door key codes were changed and the office lights were off.

"They abandoned us," Spencer said.

The impact of First Med's closure on customers wasn't immediately known, although local medical officials said they should be able to meet their patients' requirements.

Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center used First Med for non-emergency transport.

"The downside for us it that it takes away one of the resources available for non-urgent patient transport," said hospital spokesperson Amy Myers. "We don't feel like there will be a problem meeting patient needs.

Novant also employs Brunswick County EMS and Ameritech for non-urgent patient transport.

New Hanover Regional Medical Center brought in extra transportation staff Monday, spokesperson Erin Balzotti said. NHRMC contacted area nursing homes and dialysis centers to offer help with any patients that were left without a ride by First Med's sudden closure.

First Med EMS was formed in 1988 and provided patient transportation in Ohio, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia through various local companies.

In 2011, First Med expanded by acquiring American Ambulette and Ambulance Inc., Life Ambulance, MedCorp and TransMed, according to a cached page from the company's website.

The company moved its corporate headquarters to Wilmington last year and was based out of The Cotton Exchange downtown.

Nancy Bullock, manager of The Cotton Exchange, said she was contacted by the company's chief financial officer Sunday about them vacating the space.

"We were very surprised because they have been great tenants," she said. "While we regret the loss of a good tenant, the space very desirable and I am confident we will have a new tenant soon."

Employees who worked in First Med's Hampton, Va., office said they worked normal shifts through last week and also found out about closing on Facebook.

"I woke up around 1 p.m. Saturday to about 50 text messages from co-workers who said to look at Facebook," said Crystal Bagwell, who was hired there in July.

She said she was contacted later Saturday by the director of operations in Hampton and told about the company's closing.

"It was just as much of a shock to her, too," Bagwell said.

She said the Hampton location was locked down and all the company's equipment was stored in equipment bays.

Bagwell said she did not know the company was struggling financially, but first wondered about it several weeks ago.

"The only sign at all that was ever given, was were we being told we can't order a whole lot of new supplies right this second," she said.

Bagwell said she was told the spending account for supplies had been frozen.

Staff writers Wayne Faulkner and Mike Voorheis contributed to this report.

Caitlin Dineen: 343-2339

On Twitter: @CaitlinDineen

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