Augusta takes another step forward on new ambulance deal

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - City leaders are smoothing out the final details for Richmond County’s partnership with Central EMS.

They’re moving forward with the agreement and forming a subcommittee with some of the area’s top hospital leaders.

Now that the subcommittee has been formed, it’s looking at the data of county response times to figure out how much help is needed, not only with experts weighing in but with Augustans.

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The biggest priority for everyone is transparency, and anyone will be allowed to sit in to hear about the city’s current response times, the 911 system, and how that’s going to affect the price tag.

Leaders from Augusta’s hospitals – Piedmont, Doctors Hospital and Augusta University Health – will also act as advisers and weigh in. We caught up with the president of Central EMS, Gary Coker, on holding these meetings open for the public.

“They’re the ones who are calling the ambulance. They’re the ones with the need. They’re going to know what it is they perceive what their needs are, as well as the government officials that are there. I think that the committee that’s been put together is made up of EMS professionals who really understand emergency services, understand ambulance services, and what those needs will be, so I think the committee will be very well prepared. But the citizens may have questions that the committee needs to answer as well,” he said.

The next priority for central ems is hiring local EMS workers. They’re holding a job fair on March 20-21 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Central EMS is looking to fill 75 to 100 full-time and around 30 part-time workers.

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