American Ambulance transferred to Fayette EMS
At 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, the American Ambulance service coverage area in South Union Township was officially transferred to Fayette EMS.
“We’re already taking calls,” Fayette EMS Chief Rick Adobato said less than one hour after the transition.
He said the transition was very smooth. Fayette EMS covers between 70 percent and 80 percent of Fayette County, he said, and already covered half of South Union Township. American Ambulance covered the territory near Uniontown Mall.
Adobato said he was approached by the owners of American Ambulance to start the process about six months ago. Since then, they purchased the former ambulance service’s assets and will convert their ambulances to Fayette EMS ambulances. Fayette EMS moved an ambulance into the South Union Township fire department.
He said no additional ambulance purchases were required.
He did not give specifics on the reasons for American Ambulance’s shutdown, and the owners declined comment through Adobato.
But he said private ambulance services are shutting down across the state. About 30 to 40 private ambulance services closed down this year in Pennsylvania, he said, because of reimbursement cuts and insurance changes.
“It’s a very trying time for EMS members and others in the medical field,” he said. “It’s a very difficult business to be in right now.”
He said the changes have less of an impact on Fayette EMS, because it is a 501c3 non-profit with generated money reinvested into the business.
Adobato said Fayette EMS has no plans to take over any other ambulance services currently operating in Fayette County.
“We still work very well with the remaining ambulance services in the county, so I expect it’s all going to work out very well,” he said. “We’re trying to make this transition as smooth as possible.”
He said residents who live in American Ambulance’s former coverage area will receive membership information in the mail from Fayette EMS soon.