Texas City Decides to Start Own Ambulance Service

March 26--GEORGETOWN -- In a move it hopes will improve response times, the city of Georgetown will start operating its own ambulance service on Oct. 1. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to discontinue using Williamson County EMS ambulances to take patients to the hospital.

The council's decision means Williamson County will lose the $1.7 million per year it was making from providing ambulance service in Georgetown, said County Commissioner Valerie Covey.

"This will be a hit to us, and we will work on reducing expenses as much as we can until call volumes increase," Covey said Wednesday. Williamson County EMS has 19 ambulances to service the entire county, including all its cities. Three of the ambulances are based in Georgetown.

The startup costs for Georgetown to provide its own emergency medical service is $1.17 million, said Paul Diaz, a financial analyst for the city. It includes the cost of hiring six new firefighters trained as paramedics last year and nine more this year, he said.

Micki Rundell, Georgetown's finance director, said she hasn't determined yet how the city will pay for the startup costs but will present options to the City Council at its next meeting April 14. The city will have paid for the costs after five years -- when it will begin making money on the service, she said.

Seventy-five percent of the calls that Georgetown firefighters receive are for medical reasons. Firefighters usually arrive first and wait for the ambulances, said City Council Member Tommy Gonzalez.

The Georgetown Fire Department typically responds to all 911 calls not made to the police. Firefighters are usually closer to a scene than other rescue workers, said Fire Chief John Sullivan.

With the city's new plan, Georgetown firefighters also trained as paramedics will be driving four transitional response vehicles that can carry patients and equipment for use in other types of emergencies, such as collisions, Sullivan said.

"We have no complaints about the quality of service Williamson County EMS provides. We just feel that the citizens of Georgetown expect a little more resources within the city limits for their use," said City Council Member Patty Eason.

Williamson County Medical Director Jeff Jarvis said he was disappointed by the city's decision. The county had been working with the city for at least six months to keep Georgetown within the regional EMS system, he said.

Until October, Georgetown will continue to use Williamson County EMS ambulances to take patients to the hospital.

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