First Response Ambulance Sues Alabama County`s 9-1-1 Board
June 23--First Response Ambulance on Monday sued Morgan County 911 over an exclusive contract the agency awarded to Lifeguard Ambulance Service.
According to the complaint, the selection of Lifeguard will reduce by three the number of ambulances in the county.
"A reduction in the number of ambulances will unfortunately, but inevitably, result in the unnecessary loss of life -- which is in the (911) District's hands," the complaint reads.
Birmingham-based Lifeguard on June 3 won a three-year contract over bidders First Response and Samaritan EMS. Beginning July 1, Lifeguard is scheduled to become the exclusive provider of emergency and non-emergency ambulance services in Hartselle, Falkville, Eva, Priceville, Somerville and unincorporated parts of the county.
According to the complaint, the Morgan County 911 board (Morgan County Emergency Management Communications District) approved the Lifeguard contract in a 4-3 vote.
First Response seeks an injunction from the Morgan County Circuit Court, preventing Lifeguard from fulfilling the contract.
First Response, which has an exclusive ambulance contract in the Decatur city limits, is currently a defendant in a federal lawsuit by several of its employees. The lawsuit claims First Response has violated overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Copyright 2015 - The Decatur Daily, Ala.
