City disbands EMS because people can drive to the hospital faster anyhow

The City of Annexia has disbanded their EMS service. This measure is a way to save on budget shortfalls and also to provide a better public service to the city. Mayor Benway says this decision comes after careful research and planning.

The city announced this drastic measure yesterday, saying it will take effect next Monday. According to the official city press release citizens should start to drive themselves to the hospital, or ask neighbors to take them. According to research studies by city officials any citizen can make it to the ER faster in their own car then via an ambulance.

Mayor Benway provided us this extra bit of information.

“We had people drive from various locations in the city to the ER. The average time to get to the hospital was about five minutes. The longest travel time was eight minutes.” The mayor then provided us with data from the soon to be defunct EMS service. “Our average EMS response time is four minutes to the scene. Then they are on scene an average of fifteen minutes doing assessments. Travel time to the hospital is also an average of four minutes. Meaning someone calling 911 will wait thirty-one minutes before they arrive at the hospital.”

A City councilman, William Lee, was very vocal about how long transport times negate the need for EMS. “What is the point of an Ambulance when it takes six times longer to get to the Doctor?”

Fire chief O’Brien says that his fire department will pick up the emergency EMS duties for people unable to transport themselves to a hospital.

“Well obviously if we have to cut someone out of a vehicle at a crash they can’t go by personal car to the ER. We have EMTs trained at the firehouse and will take over transport in these real dire emergencies.”

According to data provided by the city, the act of cutting EMS service would put the city budget into the black. Mayor Benway explains, “Right now we have equipment costs, and very high payroll costs. Many of the people we transport are uninsured or underinsured. Billing and bill collection is a nightmare. Currently this city is $1.3 Million dollars short. Our EMS service budget is $1.6 Million dollars. The bottom line is this brings money back to the city, and gets people real emergency care faster.”

None of the EMTs working for Annexia EMS were willing to go on record for this story.