Ambulance contract cancelled
San Jacinto News Times - December 2007

COLDSPRING – A new ambulance service will be in San Jacinto County beginning in 2008 despite pleas Monday night from residents to honor the county’s contract with Guardian Emergency Medical Services.
With only three of five board members attending the regular monthly meeting, San Jacinto County Emergency Services District Board Members Gene Clark and Greg Capers passed a motion to hire Legacy Emergency Medical Services for $490,000 annually, breaking their contract with Guardian Emergency Medical Services who was getting $468,000 annually. Board member Jim Johnson voted against the motion.
Legacy EMS is offering the county four ambulances, three full-time and one part-time, while Guardian had three full-time ambulances on duty in the county for the past two years.
According to Ricky Powell, Guardian’s owner and president, his annual contract with the county states the contract “shall be renewed” for five renewals.
“They (board) will hear from my attorney for breach of contract,” Powell said. “We have 21 full-time employees here (San Jacinto County) relying on this contract.”
Powell said he has served San Jacinto County with no formal complaints being filed against his company.
During 2007 Guardian personnel responded to 2,924 calls in San Jacinto County with 1,895 total transports. Guardian’s average response time on those calls was 00:14:28.
“We are the largest ambulance service in the State of Texas,” Powell said.
Kevin Carnes, owner and president of Legacy EMS, located in Bryan-College Station, said they currently make runs for 16 nursing homes and four hospitals.
“San Jacinto County is our first county contract,” Carnes said. Legacy has been in business for nearly two years.
Carnes worked for Guardian, where he served as vice president, before forming his own ambulance service.
“Powell taught me everything I know. When you work for someone you learn the good, bad and the ugly. I got to see all sides of the business,” Carnes said.
During 2007, Carnes said his company responded to 6,700 calls in five counties.
“I will bring management skills and new equipment to San Jacinto County. That is where I differ from Guardian,” Carnes said.
Carnes said he will employ 24 full-time ambulance personnel in the county, 10 part-time employees and one manager who will reside in the county. “We will have three new ambulances and one 2006 model stationed in the county,” he said.
It took the three board members about 45 minutes in executive session before announcing their decision to terminate Guardian’s contract and hire Legacy EMS.
Before going into executive session board members heard comments from the audience asking that they keep Guardian EMS.
“I support Guardian EMS. We’ve had positive results, prompt and professional service. I urge the board to renew Guardian’s contract for the good of our citizens,” Charles Kraus said.
Charles Pennington said he also supports Guardian and didn’t understand why anyone would want to replace Guardian by another ambulance provider with no experience.
“Why risk changing to an unproven provider?” he asked board members.
In other business, board members heard more complaints about radio communication problems.
Emergency Service’s District (ESD) President Clark said a new contract has been awarded to Radio Communications to straighten out the district’s communications problems.
Board members approved a motion to accept a trailer as temporary housing for the EMS in Shepherd while that building is being remodeled to house not only the EMS but also a new clinic. The remodeling should be completed in 60 days.