Augusta is soon to get a new ambulance provider. How we got here

A long and heated debate and negotiations turned a corner this week when Central EMS was selected to succeed Gold Cross EMS as Augusta's next ambulance provider.

However, there remains plenty to discuss as a new contract needs to be agreed upon and the City of Augusta will begin figuring out terms on Thursday at the Municipal Building. If these talks are anything like past meetings, they will be long and potentially divisive.

For those needing a refresher, here is how Augusta got to the point of ending a 17-year-long relationship and what is going on with the city's changing EMS services:

It's Official: Central EMS is Augusta's next ambulance provider

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Central EMS will be Augusta's new zone provider. What does that mean?

As described in Chapter 511-9 of Georgia's Rules and Regulations, the state is broken up into several Emergency Medical Service Regions, which are broken up into Emergency Response Zones. These are identified and overseen by the Georgia Department of Public Health, who designates a specific company or organization to ensure emergency services are provided for that zone's 911 calls.

Why will Gold Cross no longer serve Augusta?

Gold Cross has been Augusta's zone provider since 2006, and instead of a formal contract, the firm had been working under a memorandum of understanding, which describes a broad outlining of an agreement between two parties. Turning the MOU into a more detailed contract was attempted on multiple occasions, but over the years, there have been several disagreements between the Martinez company and the city on accountability, response times, amount of money needed to render appropriate services, and other topics.

It came to a head on Jan. 24, when another Augusta Commission meeting broke down in shouting and accusations, leading to Gold Cross EMS Vice President Steven Vincent announcing that they were done negotiating and gave up control of the zone.

Since Gold Cross gave up the zone, who has been providing Augusta with ambulances?

Protocol dictates that when a provider gives up control of the zone, GDPH is expected to help facilitate temporary services. However, after Gold Cross withdrew, the agency requested they come to some kind of temporary agreement. Augusta called an emergency meeting the following Wednesday where the conversation was much more civil, and Gold Cross agreed to continue its services under a month-to-month contract until a new provider could take over.

Gold Cross will continue to serve Columbia County and surrounding areas.

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Temporary Peace: Gold Cross agrees to temporarily continue Augusta ambulance services

Why didn't Augusta become the zone provider?

The City of Augusta has sought to become the zone provider for years. It was one of the contingencies to the failed contract. However, the city determined it could not possibly win the zone with its own resources, and decided to partner with an EMS company to make its proposal more appealing.

Augusta evaluated and accepted bids from three firms: Gold Cross, AmeriPro EMS from Atlanta, and Metro Ambulance Service from Stone Mountain, Georgia. A contract was drafted for AmeriPro and presented to the commission on Thursday, Feb. 9, just one day before zone provider applications were due; but the contract failed.

The commission attempted to have another meeting to discuss their options the next morning, but not enough commissioners showed up and they failed to reach a quorum. Later that afternoon, Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson confirmed that they ultimately chose not to apply for the zone.

Déjà Vu:Augusta votes down EMS partnership for ambulance zone, again

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How did Central EMS become the provider?

Three companies applied for the zone: Central EMS from the Atlanta area, Gold Cross and Amerimed from Buford, Georgia. Vincent explained that they re-applied for the zone in order to renegotiate some of their initial terms that were set years ago.

According to DPH Commissioner Kathleen E. Toomey, the bidders were considered using the principles of economy, efficiency, and the benefit to public welfare. The three were evaluated by a Region 6 Committee and Council in February, and after brief discussions, Central was recommended for approval.

Who is Central EMS and what is being offered?

Central is one of the Southeast's largest ambulance companies, transporting approximately 50,000 patients annually with more than 100 vehicles in the state, including Macon, Dublin, Savannah and Statesboro. It has been the zone provider for Forsyth County since 2016.

The company's founder and President Gary Coker said in February that they are offering Augusta eight around-the-clock ambulances, six additional ambulances during peak times, and three quick response vehicles (QRVs). Central also intends to offer increased accountability. Part of the plan is to coordinate with Augusta's 911 center so the center will directly dispatch ambulances and therefore have direct response time reports. There will also be regular reports provided to the city.

Recommendation Made: Central EMS sent to state for final approval as Augusta ambulance provider

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What happens now?

Gold Cross is still providing Augusta with EMS services, and will continue to do so until Central's operations are fully implemented, which is expected around late April or early May.

A new contract will have to be negotiated by May 8. One point that's yet to be made clear is how much this will cost. Coker said they chose to not propose a price until they could speak with the City of Augusta and get a better sense for the area's specific needs. His only stipulation was that they ensure Central receives at least 10% net revenue. Otherwise, Central might have to revoke some of the ambulances offered, but Coker said he is confident it would not come to this.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta's ambulance, Central EMS services, questions and answers