Mutual Aid Ambulance Service expands coverage area for 2nd time this year
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For the second time this year, Mutual Aid Ambulance Service is expanding into new territory.
The Greensburg-based company is now the exclusive provider of emergency medical services for the 44 square miles of Bullskin in Fayette County. Bullskin supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to implement the changes to the area that was previously covered by Connellsville-based Fayette EMS and Mt. Pleasant Medic 10.
“The firemen had asked us for a good while about having Mutual Aid come in. Mutual Aid actually will station an ambulance out here at the fire hall,” said Bullskin Supervisor Roy Thayer. “It will be here 24/7. We couldn’t get that service from anyone else.”
The ambulance, along with a medic and EMT, are stationed at the Bullskin Township Volunteer Fire Company. Thayer noted that Fayette EMS had covered the area for about 25 years.
Richard Adobato, chief at Fayette EMS, said the changes came as a surprise. The company, which serviced Bullskin from their Connellsville station, previously had a location in the township, but it closed about 10 years ago after it was financially unable to support itself.
“On the patient care side, absolutely that is the best thing that can happen for Bullskin Township is to have an ambulance in their township,” Abodato said. “I agree, I agree wholeheartedly. And as I said at the meeting, if Mutual Aid needs us to back them up or needs assistance, we’ll be right there.”
But, Adobato said, ambulance service is now farther away for parts of Bullskin . He noted those areas would have been better serviced with a joint agreement between Fayette EMS and Medic 10. Officials with Medic 10 were not immediately available for comment.
Thayer said Mutual Aid stations in Scottdale and Tarrs (East Huntingdon) will aid in calls if necessary.
“Last night was filling a need for the community,” said Scot Graham, a supervisor with Mutual Aid. “We were approached by the fire department and the supervisors asking if we could fill what they considered a gap in service. … we talked with the supervisors and felt it was a good thing to do to help them out.”
Mutual Aid Ambulance Service, which has 12 stations across Westmoreland, Somerset and Fayette counties, most recently expanded their service into Fairfield earlier this year, Graham said. Three years prior, they took over service for Ligonier Valley Ambulance Service that serviced Excela Health Latrobe Hospital.
Memberships purchased by Bullskin residents from Medic 10 and Fayette EMS will be honored by Mutual Aid until March 31.