Gadsden city council approves new ambulance service

The Gadsden City Council on Tuesday on the receommendation of the councils public safety committee and fire chief Stephen Carroll,  approved an ambulance service permit for Advantage Emergency Medical Services to operate in Gadsden, giving the city a second ambulance service to handle 911 calls.  Carroll said Advantage will begin work very soon. The timing will have to be coordinated with Rural Metro Ambulance, which has been providing emergency service for the entire city since Gadsden Etowah EMS closed last month. Council members expressed their appreciation for Rural Metro’s response in that situation.  Representatives of Rural Metro had asked the council during its work session to consider giving the company a franchise to be the primary emergency response provider in Gadsden.  Regional Director Don Bratcher said the company had provided excellent response time with no problems when it was the sole provider. If given a franchise, he said, it could offer improved service.  The council decided against the request.