PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Port Arthur city leaders have extended a new contract to an ambulance company in order to combat ambulance wait time issues.
Starting next month, City Ambulance Service will work alongside Acadian Ambulance Service to assist Port Arthur residents in need of care.
City Ambulance Service will be adding six new ambulances and responding to emergency calls.
Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie says he's happy to have additional coverage after relying solely on one ambulance service for so long.
"Acadian has been here for so long that they have a local presence. You know and it's not anything against any one particular business, it's just to provide better service for the entirety of our community," Bartie said.
Port Artur Fire Chief Greg Benson says the goal is to cut down the current average ambulance wait time from 30 minutes to six minutes.
"60 seconds to process the call, 60 seconds for turn out time. That's for when the call get dispatched to the station, to the time that they start rolling and then a 4-minute drive time. So, that's how you get your 6 minutes and you look to achieve that in 90% of your calls," Benson said.
Chief Benson also tells 12News the goal is to add a third ambulance service in the future.
He says plans are in the works for non- emergency medical transport to be permitted in the city to respond to non-emergency transportations.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.