Jackson considers returning to city ambulance service

ambulanceJACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Jackson may return to providing its own ambulance service after nearly 25 years.

Mayor Tony Yarber tells The Clarion-Ledger (http://on.thec-l.com/1dRE9Xd) the city resuming ambulance service is something Fire Chief R.D. Simpson is advocating.

Ambulance service was privatized in 1991 when Hinds County signed a contract with Mobile Medic Ambulance Service, which later became American Medical Response, for countywide ambulance service.

AMR spokesman Jim Pollard says their contract with the Hinds County Board of Supervisors requires that an AMR ambulance reach at least 85 percent of 911 scenes in Jackson within eight minutes.

Pollard says AMR is meeting their contractual obligations.

Councilman Kenneth Stokes urged the city to get back into the ambulance business. He complained about the time it takes AMR to transport an injured person from a scene.