Life EMS Ambulance is expanding its coverage area in West Michigan. Courtesy
Life EMS Ambulance is expanding its primary 911 emergency response area in Allegan County to include northern Saugatuck Township, the city of Saugatuck and the city of the Village of Douglas.
The expansion took effect on June 1. Life EMS Ambulance previously served the city of Fennville, the townships of Clyde, Ganges and Lee, and the southern portions of Manlius and Saugatuck townships.
“It is critical we ensure high-quality, reliable emergency medical care for our residents and visitors when they become ill or injured, and Life EMS Ambulance has been serving the southern portion of our Fire District extremely well for more than four years, making this expansion an ideal fit for our area,” says Greg Janik, Saugatuck Township Fire District chief. “An important difference is that Life EMS provides strong, local and accessible leadership to ensure the highest level of accountability.”
That leadership comes from Mark Meijer, founder and president of Life EMS Ambulance.
“As a locally owned and nationally known provider of paramedic ambulance care for 44 years, we are humbled by the confidence the Saugatuck Township Fire District has in us to best serve this additional response area,” Meijer says.
Initial test period
Janik explains the expansion includes a test period with Life EMS Ambulance that runs June 1 through Dec. 31.
“This agreement will see the current provider, AMR, no longer regularly serving the fire district, but available in situations when Life EMS' resources are over-taxed,” he says.
The agreement is a product of efforts by Janik and Deputy Chief Chris Mantels to upgrade ambulance service. It follows months of study by the Fire Board's ambulance subcommittee, which has representatives from each of the three local jurisdictions.
Meijer says there currently is no cost to the fire district or its jurisdictions, and that ambulance services are billed directly by Life EMS Ambulance to the patient and/or their insurance provider.
Janik says those needing ambulance response will see significantly lower charges than they would get from the current provider. In addition, Life EMS will provide West Michigan-based customer service to assist patients with billing questions and other needs.
He adds that the new service agreement does not end the Fire District’s STFD's efforts to upgrade EMS service.
“You can expect more news on this front,” he says.
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