NOLANVILLE, Texas — The City of Nolanville hasn't had its own EMS services for nearly a week. The good news is that's about to change.
Nolanville had a contract with Acadian Ambulance Service for several years. The company provided EMS for people in Nolanville and surrounding cities.
A few months before the contract expired, the company presented the City with a new offer that Nolanville Fire Department Chief Robert Cunningham says they had no option but to refuse.
"They said we're willing to renew the contract but it was about a 1,200% increase in price," Cunningham said. "The City can't afford that and it's not right for the citizens of Nolanville to have to pay those kinds of prices."
As of Sept 6, AAS no longer provided EMS services in Nolanville.
Since then, numerous Bell County EMS have been assisting Nolanville through a mutual aid agreement.
Killeen Fire Department Chief Jim Kubinski says they provide mutual aid to at least 10 different cities in Central Texas. Killeen is currently working towards signing an agreement to help Nolanville as well.
"When their agency becomes taxed or over-dispatched, we help them, no different than when we have a large accident and they come and help us," Kubinski added.
Nolanville officials put out several bids searching for a more affordable EMS. After sifting through companies, the City landed on City Ambulance Services to provide EMS to the community. Cunningham says City Ambulance and the City agreed to a $275,000 contract.
"We contracted with the private ambulance service so that the citizens here would not have to wait extended periods of time," Cunningham explained. "Unfortunately, it has been where residents may have had to wait a little while unless it's a priority of the call."
The City is glad to have found the best company for Nolanville and wants the public to know their safety is its number one priority.
"We're putting good services in place, we're putting a professional fire department in place," Cunningham said. "The citizens will be very taken care of."
City Ambulance Services will begin responding to emergencies in Nolanville on Wednesday, Sept. 13.