Goodrich-Ambulance service may return soon.
Jason McDonald, director of operations for Mobile Medical Response or MMR, announced last week the company will locate an ambulance 24 hours a day, seven days per week at 8389 S. State Road, next door to Buddy’s Brick Oven Pizza.
The first EMS unit is expected to be in place by Feb. 1.
‘We realize there is a need in the community for ambulance service,? said McDonald. ‘We understand there had been some longer response times in the community under the current conditions. While even the best of systems fail at times, we will strive to keep those to a minimum.?
Mobile Medical Response is non-profit, established by St. Mary’s of Michigan and Covenant Health Care in 1994 in an effort to provide emergency medical service in Saginaw County. MMR has since expanded its services to include 15 counties in mid and northern Michigan. Today 100 emergency response vehicles and a staff of almost 600 are employed by MMR.
‘The number of calls in the township are sufficient to make this work for us,? McDonald said. ‘We are innovative and our systems are effective to cover the area.?
McDonald was aware of the EMS issues that have plagued the village and township for many years.
Due to low call volume, Goodrich and Atlas Township are not covered by an EMS, rather, they depend on nearby private ambulance services from Grand Blanc, Davison and, until January 2015, Groveland Township in case of emergency. As a result, response times in emergency situations have been a concern for township officials for many years. Both Groveland and Brandon townships are just a few miles south of the county line and can respond in fewer minutes. However, the protocol established by Genesee County Medical Control Authority notifies an EMS stationed on Saginaw Street in Grand Blanc or the nearest ambulance that may be somewhere in the area of Goodrich or Atlas Township.
The battle with GCMCA to allow EMS from outside Genesee County to respond in county has escalated over the years. While resolutions have been proposed, Jones suggests the MMR move to the village may now be part of the equation.
‘I’m thrilled,? said Shirley Kautman Jones, Atlas Township supervisor. ‘Whatever it takes to fill the void for medical response is fine by me. I’m concerned, however. I don’t want them (MMR) to come to town and just leave a few months later. We still need to have Groveland and Brandon township (EMS) available to respond’we just don’t want to snub them. However, that’s the risk you (MMR) take in business. You can’t make them stay.?
‘I’m sure if it had not been for the push of the Genesee County townships to push for a change in GCMCA protocol they would not be coming to the community,? she said. ‘Honestly, I don’t care if they are green and arrive in a spaceship it’s all about providing for Goodrich and Atlas Township.?
An EMS stationed in the community has been considered before.
In December 2012, representatives from Regional Emergency Medical Services (REMS) attended the Atlas Township meeting to discuss locating a facility in the community. REMS is a joint-venture partnership between Flint-based hospital McLaren Health System, and Southfield-based Community EMS, Inc (CEMS), a non-profit ambulance service. After first opening in January 1996, REMS serves Lansing, Fenton, Flint, Flushing, along with Genesee and Mundy townships. The company employs about 300 with 75 vehicles.
However, even after township official offered to provide use of the south bay in the township garage to house the ambulance and develop some kind of base or post in the township, the plan was dumped due to a lack of projected 9-1-1 calls to be profitable.
A volunteer ambulance base previously ran in Atlas Township from the Goodrich Lions Club hall on M-15.
Township resident Emery Bennett served as board chairman of the Goodrich Volunteer Ambulance for 19 years.
The GVA had as many as 67 volunteers on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week.The ambulance company provided the community with ambulance service until 1997.