Alabama City Revokes EMS Agency`s License
Feb. 21--In a 3-2 vote, the Decatur EMS Committee today recommended the revocation of Decatur Emergency Management Services Inc.'s license to operate in the city.
The City Council is expected to make a final ruling on the issue at its March 3 meeting.
Decatur Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Ted McKelvey, the EMS coordinator, told the committee that DEMSI has failed to meet the city requirement of keeping two ambulances in service at all times and a third ambulance in service 12 hours a day since a work stoppage Feb. 7. During that time, DEMSI response times also have fallen below city requirements.
Morgan County 911 Director Ryan Welty, a member of the EMS Committee, made a motion for revocation of DEMSI's license. Decatur Police Chief Ed Taylor seconded the motion. Decatur Fire and Rescue Division Chief Janice Johnson also voted for revocation.
The only dissenting votes came from Dr. Tom-meka Archinard and Morgan County Emergency Management Agency Director Eddy Hicks.
DEMSI was not represented by a lawyer at the meeting. Tessa Green, who identified herself as an administrative assistant at DEMSI, made two arguments to the committee.
First, she said McKelvey's allegations recommending revocation of DEMSI's license initially were sent to DEMSI owner Roger Stanmore's home, and that because he was out of town she did not receive them. She said she first heard about the allegations when she read about them in The Daily.
"I had no idea this (hearing) was to occur," Green said. "I had no time to prepare."
Her other argument involved finances.
Green said, due to a clerical error, DEMSI failed to file necessary paperwork with Medicare at the end of 2013. The company has received no Medicare payments since then, and will receive its first reimbursements Monday. She said she has been trying to obtain a loan for the company, which she said was approved today.
Green also said a merger with another company is pending, although she gave no details.
"We have so many dedicated employees who are backing us up because they love Decatur," Green said.
Eric Fleischauer can be reached at 256-340-2435 or eric@decaturdaily.com. Follow on Twitter @DD_Fleischauer.
Copyright 2014 - The Decatur Daily, Ala.
