First Response ambulances parked, Decatur official says - The Decatur Daily

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Decatur, Ala. | Monday, May 20, 2013

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10/16/12 | 2533 views

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First Response ambulances parked, Decatur official says

By Sheryl Marsh
@dd_sherylmarsh

First Response EMS halted its ambulance service in Decatur after Morgan County Circuit Judge Sherrie Paler issued a court order Monday prohibiting the company’s operation, City Attorney Herman Marks said today.

“DEMSI (Decatur Emergency Medical Services) is providing ambulance service. First Response is not operating in Decatur presently,” said Marks. “As far as I know they stopped yesterday evening on the court order.”

Marks said there is no shortage of ambulance service since First Response is out of the rotation.

“I am told they (DEMSI) are in compliance with the ordinance and they’re going to stay that way,” Marks said. “It’s my understanding that they’re committed to having the number of ambulances required, which is five.”

Paler said in her ruling that First Response’s parent company, Healthcare Investment Group Inc., submitted an application for an operation certificate that was non-compliant with the city’s Code of Ordinances.

HIG may submit another application that complies with the city Code.

SHERYL MARSH

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On 10/16/12 at 12:40 PM, Bob from wrote:

all the sudden Herman is an ambulance rotation expert? I thought that Clark said that DEMS laid off half it's staff and couldn't do both?

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On 10/16/12 at 02:14 PM, Tony from wrote:

What I thought to Bob. Guess we will see how much OT these guys get half staffed, although, they are the ones that opened this can of worms.

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On 10/16/12 at 03:47 PM, Casinokid from wrote:

If you were thinking about voting for Paler this should open your eye's. This order does nothing but ensure that the monopoloy continues. DEMSI is about DEMSI. Having Ambulance's available and having them staffed are two different things.

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On 10/16/12 at 03:52 PM, Rebecca from Decatur wrote:

This is is just like most of the traffic lights in Decatur. A complete waste of time, money, and effort. When things are in sync, everything is great. Stopping traffic when nothing is coming the other direction is a complete waste of time and just creates more traffic and backup on the flowing side. Not having this second ambulance service is a waste of time money and effort for it to keep DEMSI in a monopoly.

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