By Bill Carey
EMS1
MERCER COUNTY, Ill. — The Fire Protection Districts in Aledo, Greene, Joy, Seaton, and the City of Keithsburg, Illinois, are on the verge of losing their ambulance service if a new bid is not submitted by the end of the year.
The Mercer County Ambulance Committee currently has a contract with Genesis Ambulance to provide emergency ambulance services to the fire protection districts and the City of Keithsburg, WQAD reported.
“We are really challenged now to try to find a service within 90 days before this service expires on December 31,” Ambulance Committee spokesperson Michael Sponsler said.
The committee issued a request for bids in August in anticipation of the Genesis contract expiring, but it did not receive a single bid.
With the contract expiration looming, the committee will hold community meetings with each fire district and the Keithsburg officials. During these meetings, committee members will emphasize the importance of community involvement as first responders or EMTs.
“We are getting more people from the community aware of our situation,” Sponsler said. “Bringing them on board to help us put all of our thinking together and do everything we can to find this service.”