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Brookhaven city leaders concerned over ambulance response times

By and Mary Smith
Updated  April 25, 2024 11:21pm EDT
Brookhaven
FOX 5 Atlanta

Brookhaven mayor calls for city-run EMS

Concerns over extended response times have Brookhaven city leaders calling for change in EMS providers.

BROOKHAVEN, Ga. - Brookhaven city leaders addressed concerns over ambulance response times during a discussion Thursday morning. 

According to city officials, poor response times from DeKalb County's EMS services, contracted with AMR, have prompted the city to take action. This marks the third time in recent years that Brookhaven plans to petition the Department of Public Health to establish its own EMS operations.

The city manager cited concerns that DeKalb County's EMS consistently fails to meet the standard response time of 12 minutes for emergency calls. Instead, response times often exceed 20 minutes, well beyond the contract standard.

"My wife is gushing blood in my hands, and we don't know if they're ever going to show up," said Avery Poe told the meeting. 

"We waited over 25 minutes, and still no response," said another resident. 

"I think in this day and age it's a shame, a true shame that we have to beg for an ambulance," said another woman. 

Brookhaven Mayor John Park says it's a problem with life-or-death consequences. He says it's time the city took matters into their own hands. 

"We're declaring that Brookhaven has asked the Georgia Department of Public Health for our own ambulance zone," said Mayor Park. 

Brookhaven wants to manage ambulance service

The city of Brookhaven is asking the Georgia Department of Public Health to let the city manage its own ambulance operations.

In response, a spokesperson from AMR stated their commitment to providing high-quality emergency medical services and expressed willingness to collaborate with partner agencies to address EMS-related challenges.

FULL STATEMENT 

"American Medical Response (AMR) values our longstanding relationship with DeKalb County and the communities we serve, including Brookhaven. We are actively engaged with DeKalb leadership in an ongoing fashion to strengthen the EMS system throughout the entire County through meaningful, innovative, and significant system investments. We are committed to providing the highest level of emergency medical services available to the communities that we serve, and we continue to work with our partner agencies on finding equitable solutions to address any EMS system-related challenges.

"We defer any additional questions to Chief Fullum with the DeKalb County Fire Department."

"We feel like we can do it more efficiently and better if we took over the entire operation," said Mayor Park. 

DeKalb County informed FOX 5 that it was approved $3.8 million in the 2024 budget to add 15 EMT/paramedics, five nurse practitioners, and five ambulances to enhance service delivery. The county is also in the process of installing a $5 million, state-of-the-art E-911 phone system. 

Mayor Park says it's too late. 

"That was supposed to be done at the end of last year and it was never done," said Mayor Park. 

Keri Kanitz, 16-month-old daughter had a seizure, and says she waited 25 minutes for an ambulance before giving up and driving her daughter to the hospital, she hopes the city does take over ambulance services. 

"I really want to be able to trust that 911 is going to show up when we need their help," said Kanitz. 

The next meeting of the Georgia Department of Public Health-Emergency Medical Services for this region is May 9. Brookhaven leaders hope it will be addressed at that meeting.