DeKalb County sees quicker EMS response times
The Brief
EMS response times are down by almost 3 minutes in DeKalb County.
Officials say the faster response times are thanks to a $3.8 million investment and $4.89 million subsidy to AMR.
The county also offers two programs to keep EMTs from responding to "preventable" 911 calls.
DECATUR, Ga. - DeKalb County residents are seeing quicker EMS response times, according to county officials.
What we know
The county says this improvement is due to a $3.8 million investment from February 2024. The money went toward hiring more emergency medical technicians for DeKalb County Fire Rescue, as well as funding support staff to help stop "preventable 911 use."
The county says it also extended its agreement with American Medical Response, giving the company a $4.89 million subsidy to increase the number of AMR ambulances serving DeKalb County.
Now, DeKalb County says EMTs are getting to emergencies almost 3 minutes faster than before February 2024.
What they're saying
"We are excited about this high-performing system improvement through initiatives, resource investments, and constant leadership support," said DeKalb County Fire Rescue Chief Darnell Fullum. "Together, these strategic efforts are building a more responsive, efficient, and patient-centered EMS system for DeKalb County."
Dig deeper
DeKalb County offers two programs it says can help keep EMTs available for emergency calls.
One is called the Healthcare Education and Linked Services (HEALS) team, which works with people to get them longer-term care options, rather than using EMTs.
There is also the Nurse Navigator program, which helps 911 callers decide if they need an ambulance or if they can seek another level of care.
The Source
Information for this article came from a press release by DeKalb County officials.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
DeKalb County sees quicker EMS response times
The Brief EMS response times are down by almost 3 minutes in DeKalb County. Officials say the faster response times are thanks to a $3.8 million investment and $4.89 million subsidy to AMR. The county also offers two programs to keep EMTs from responding to "preventable" 911 calls. DECATUR, Ga. - DeKalb County residents are seeing quicker EMS response times, according to county officials. What we know The county says this improvement is due to a $3.8 million investment from February 2024. The money went toward hiring more emergency medical technicians for DeKalb County Fire Rescue, as well as funding support staff to help stop "preventable 911 use." The county says it also extended its agreement with American Medical Response, giving the company a $4.89 million subsidy to increase the number of AMR ambulances serving DeKalb County. Now, DeKalb County says EMTs are getting to emergencies almost 3 minutes faster than before February 2024. What they're saying "We are excited about this high-performing system improvement through initiatives, resource investments, and constant leadership support," said DeKalb County Fire Rescue Chief Darnell Fullum. "Together, these strategic efforts are building a more responsive, efficient, and patient-centered EMS system for DeKalb County." Dig deeper DeKalb County offers two programs it says can help keep EMTs available for emergency calls. One is called the Healthcare Education and Linked Services (HEALS) team, which works with people to get them longer-term care options, rather than using EMTs. There is also the Nurse Navigator program, which helps 911 callers decide if they need an ambulance or if they can seek another level of care. The Source Information for this article came from a press release by DeKalb County officials.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
DeKalb Co. to invest $4.89 million in expanding ambulance fleet, longer EMS partnership with AMR
DeKalb County announced they'd be investing millions of dollars to improve their emergency medical services and expand the county ambulance fleet. According to county officials, the contract for emergency medical services with American Medical Response was extended through June 30, 2026. Additionally, the county government agreed to pay a $4.89 million subsidy to expand the number of AMR ambulances in service. The move includes adding new ambulance units, more personnel and operational support resources. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Explosion rocks Villa Rica after outbuilding at ammo supply shop catches fire Boat found circling on Allatoona Lake with no one on board Water main break shuts down road in Dunwoody, dozens of customers impacted "As a result of these efforts, the system has seen measurable improvements, including a 2-minute and 48-second reduction in response times for critical calls, 18% more AMR ambulance unit hours on the road, and 58% more DCFR ambulance unit hours on the road since 2024," county officials said in a statement. DeKalb County Fire Rescue has also partnered with local hospitals to reduce how long it takes for patients to be offloaded from ambulances to emergency rooms. 'We are excited about this high-performing system improvement through initiatives, resource investments, and constant leadership support', DeKalb County Fire Rescue Chief Darnell Fullum said. 'Together, these strategic efforts are building a more responsive, efficient, and patient-centered EMS system for DeKalb County.' [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Ambulance rides in San Diego just got more expensive — this is why
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — For the fifth year in a row, the City of San Diego is raising its ambulance transport fees — this time by 18% over the next three years. But city leaders insist: most patients won't be impacted. The San Diego City Council approved the increase unanimously Tuesday, pushing the total hike since 2021 to just over 32%, according to reporting from The San Diego Union-Tribune. The cost for the most advanced level of ambulance service will rise from $3,151 to $3,717. Despite the eye-popping numbers, city officials say the increase will mostly impact insurance companies, not patients. Only about 11% of ambulance patients — those with private insurance — may be affected, The San Diego Union-Tribune also reported. Patients with Medicare, Medi-Cal or no insurance won't see any change, thanks to a state law — AB 716 — that caps those charges at fixed rates. Celebrities spotted running in San Diego's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Councilmember Marni von Wilpert emphasized the hikes are tied to increasing costs from the city's private ambulance providers — Falck USA and American Medical Response (AMR) — who are billing the city $4.7 million more this coming fiscal year. 'We need to make sure we are doing the most competitive cost containment for our residents and delivering the best service,' von Wilpert said. The rising fees come as the city reconsiders how it runs emergency medical services. While a recent partnership with Falck and AMR has been financially successful, city leaders are exploring whether to bring ambulance services in-house — something cities like Los Angeles and, more locally, Chula Vista have already done. The San Diego Union-Tribune noted that Fire Chief Robert Logan said any move toward a city-run ambulance service would start slowly, possibly beginning with low-level emergency calls, while private companies continue handling life-threatening situations. In a twist, this year's rate hike — like last year's — skipped a required committee review before heading to the full council. That move appears to violate council policy, though no council member appeared to raise concerns during the vote. As the debate over who should run San Diego's ambulances continues, one thing's clear: the cost of care is rising — even if most patients won't see the bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
