The Flint fire department will soon have its own ambulance responding to calls for the first time in two decades. It’s expected to pick up 15% of medical transport calls.
The average wait time for an ambulance in Flint is about 45 minutes.
The new city ambulance service is intended to significantly bring down wait times.
Mayor Sheldon Neeley says the first city ambulance will hit the street this July.
“Definitely by the beginning of next year, we hope to have a full fleet of ambulances serving residents of this great city,” said Neeley.
Budget issues forced the city to end ambulance service 22 years ago.
At that time, the city started relying on private services for emergency medical transport.
“There were 3 or 4 ambulance companies that came in and absorbed that…they since have gone by the wayside and closed,” said Fire Chief Theron Wiggins.
In 2022, the city of Flint partnered with a private medical transport service to provide ambulance services. But the company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2023.
