Franklin County Committee Reviews Ambulance Delays, Seeks Solutions to Improve Emergency Response Times

WINCHESTER, Tenn. — Concerns over ambulance availability have prompted the Franklin County Public Safety Committee to investigate possible improvements to the county’s emergency response system. The discussion follows two recent incidents where ambulances from Priority Ambulance LLC were not immediately available to respond to emergency calls.

During the committee’s October 13 meeting, county officials, representatives from Priority Ambulance, Highpoint Health, and concerned citizens gathered to review what happened and how to prevent similar situations.

Tammy Sullivan, a Franklin County native, shared her experience after her 91-year-old mother fell in the Walmart parking lot and no ambulance was available. “What if it would have been your mother, your spouse, or your child?” she asked the panel. “How would you feel?” Sullivan said bystanders and Walmart employees helped her mother until firefighters arrived.

According to Sullivan, two of the county’s four ambulances were on emergency calls, while the remaining two were handling non-emergency transports. Mayor Chris Guess said the situation underscores a larger problem. “The answer to an ambulance not being available is no answer,” he said. “We have to fix this, but it’s more complicated than it seems.”

           Priority Ambulance Vice President Rob Webb explained that transport crews cannot simply abandon a patient mid-transfer, even when emergencies arise. Sheriff Tim Fuller suggested involving law enforcement agencies for non-emergency “lift assist” calls to free up ambulance crews. The committee plans to meet with local police chiefs to discuss the idea.

Franklin County currently contributes about $650,000 annually to support Priority Ambulance operations, a figure set to rise by 5% each year under the current contract. Committee members plan to revisit the issue in November with proposed strategies to reduce response times and ensure timely emergency coverage for residents.

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