Reid Health EMS begins ambulance service in Union County

Reid Health is expanding its emergency ambulance service, becoming the provider for Union County as of Jan. 1.

"We plan to be an active partner in the community supporting local events and school functions as well as working closely with the volunteer fire departments to provide EMS education to enhance the care provided to Union County residents and those who visit the area," said Ryan Williams, Director of EMS, Forensics and Trauma Services for Reid Health.

Union County solicited bids for its emergency ambulance service in August, and Reid was awarded the contract in early September.

"We wanted to have a presence in Union County and wanted to be able to provide quality care to all its citizens and visitors," Williams said. "Having the opportunity to serve the community through our ambulance service was a great way to bring the Reid brand back to Union County."

The ambulance and its crew will be stationed at 950 N. Market St. in Liberty, the same location as the Neighborhood Health Clinic. There will be one Advanced Life Support ambulance staffed with one paramedic and one EMT at all times. A second ambulance will be available during high volume periods such as special events and summer weekends when more people visit Brookville Lake.

"We plan to be an active partner in the community supporting local events and school functions as well as working closely with the volunteer fire departments to provide EMS education to enhance the care provided to Union County residents and those who visit the area," -- Ryan Williams, Reid Health Director of EMS, Forensics and Trauma Services

Reid began providing emergency ambulance services in 2019 when it was awarded the contract for western Wayne County after the county's initial request for bids went without a provider for that area.

"We are thrilled to be able to expand our service to the Union County area," said Misti Foust-Cofield, Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer at Reid Health. "We look forward to providing the same level of quality care to Union County as we have in western Wayne County over the past two years."

The health system also is growing its transportation services capabilities, adding another ambulance to its fleet in response to concerns caused by COVID-19 and an increase in patients with mental health needs. Reid also has open positions for paramedics and EMTs.

Because the pandemic has created limited capacity for healthcare providers across the state, patients must be taken further away than usual when they need resources that aren't available at Reid.

"Our ambulances often are traveling several hundred miles a day, which limits the number of patients that one ambulance is able to move," Williams said. "An additional vehicle will help with that issue."