Atlanta Fire Department purchases new ambulances ahead of AMC closure

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Ambulances are critical components of emergency care. With the closure of Atlanta Medical Center coming Nov. 1, there will be fewer of them on the street.

But the City of Atlanta is spending money from its own budget to help.

At a Monday night town hall meeting Fire Chief Rod Smith told Buckhead residents the fire department has purchased new emergency vehicles to help transport patients to the remaining area hospitals like Grady and Emory.

“We’re happy to say that the Atlanta Fire Department, with the support of the mayor, has ordered a fleet of ambulances,” Smith said. “As well as we’ve ordered some smaller vehicles, we call them rapid response units.”

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Mayor Andre Dickens says the units will be stationed primarily in Buckhead and southwest Atlanta, even though the city isn’t in charge of the hospital system.

“Hospitals are not the responsibility of the city, but it’s my concern. Hospitals are the responsibility of the county. Counties are supposed to provide health and human services,” Mayor Dickens said. “But I care about it. Which is why we’re spending city resources trying to augment those long wait times that you get because Grady ambulatory services have been delayed this year due to worker shortages.”

It’s unclear how many new ambulances will be in circulation and who will be staffing them. Atlanta News First is working to get those answers for you.

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