Columbia Cnty EMS - Part II: Need an Ambulance, drive across the border – call 911
June 8, 2026 12:20 pm |
6
min read |
Part I
AI Summary in a minute
Photo: Jon LCE via Unsplash | Columbia County
Observer graphic
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – If you need an ambulance in Columbia County, it’s best to drive across the County border – then dial 911. The Columbia County 5 (the County Commission or “The 5”) finally came to grips with a severely failing EMS system during its June 4 morning meeting.
Frequent “level zero” ambulance availability (no ambulances available), EMS response times falling well below contractual standards, and a projected multimillion-dollar annual shortfall had the Columbia County 5 searching for answers while residents and visitors who may need an emergency ambulance may face life-threatening delays waiting for EMS (Emergency Medical Services) to show up.
Why This Matters for residents and visitors:
Columbia County is a worldwide tourist
destination
For Columbia County residents and visitors (Columbia County is a worldwide tourist destination), the ongoing EMS debate is a matter of life, death, and dollars. Columbia County is currently experiencing frequent "Level Zero" events – no ambulances are available to respond to 911 calls.
The County 5, after its foot-dragging and legendary back-room dealing, is actively weighing whether to shift the multi-million-dollar burden onto property owners through an MSTU (Municipal Service Taxing Unit), or to pursue a long-term sales tax option.
The decisions made in the coming weeks will dictate the quality of emergency response, the amount paid for the service, and who pays for it.
The AmeriPro Crisis: "Level Zeros" and Looming Fines
County EMS Director Lance Hill provided blunt data. In May, AmeriPro achieved roughly 70% compliance in urban areas and 67% in rural zones against a required 90%. Dispatch logs showed repeated “level zero” events, forcing fire units to hold scenes. Mr. Hill noted these are difficult to track precisely because of limitations in the SmartCOP dispatch system. He said they occur regularly.
County EMS Director Lance Hill is a recognized
EMS expert. It is unclear if the County 5 takes
his advice to heart.
“Monday was one of those days that happens about once a week,” Mr. Hill said. “There were at least 10 or 12 times on Monday that there were calls for service and no ambulances, and we have fire units sitting on scene.” County 5 member Rocky Ford recounted a recent experience of waiting approximately 30 minutes.
Fines for noncompliance are scheduled to begin July 1, following a 120-day grace period that includes a 60-day ramp-up and a 60-day grace period for response times. Commissioner Ford was skeptical that the penalties would change AmeriPro’s behavior. “What’s gonna happen is it’s cheaper to pay the fine than meet the time, and they’re going to pay the fine,” he said.
AmeriPro was staffing five and a half ambulances by pulling crews from Jacksonville, but had not yet filled the 24-hour advanced life support quick response vehicle (ALS QRV), though interviews were planned. AmeriPro operates primarily from two stations — the fairgrounds and Old Niblack on SR 18 — prompting extensive discussion about better geographic coverage, particularly for the northern and southern parts of the county.
In the past, to facilitate coverage in the South end of the County, an ambulance was stationed at the Fort White firehouse. No one volunteered why that ambulance coverage went missing.
County 5 member Kevin Parnell represents the North end of the County. He commented on AmeriPro’s communication failures, “They're last-minute folks. Misunderstanding happens from day one. We got involved with them. It's been a misunderstanding the entire time."
Grants: a SAFER application
Not too long ago, County Commission Chairman Tim Murphy pushed his weight around and facilitated the establishment of a grant committee under the Clerk’s Office, instead of where it belonged, at the County Commission. This way, it was kept out of the public’s eye. Its meetings aren’t noticed; if it produces minutes, it is unknown where they are, and so far, its members aren’t listed anywhere. This committee recommends grants that the County should pursue. The committee may do other things.
With the ongoing EMS – Ambulance problems, a SAFER grant would help fund Fire Rescue personnel. The grant committee did not recommend this grant. The reason is unknown.
Commissioner Kevin Parnell has not been happy
with AmeriPro.
The 5 took affirmative action and voted to approve applying for a SAFER grant, which funds EMS personnel over three years at declining shares — 100 percent the first year, then 75 percent, then 50 percent.
EMS Director Hill noted the County was awarded a SAFER grant in 2008 and turned it down, because the terms then required guaranteeing positions for five years. The program now requires three.
Commissioner Ford moved to apply for the grant, saying, “If we get it and we don't use it, we just turn it down. We just don't take it.” The motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Hollingsworth insisted on one condition — a side-by-side cost comparison of expanding AmeriPro's service versus the County running its own ambulances. “We got to worry about money right now,” he said. ‘Unless if you can't afford it, you can't afford it."
Commissioner Ford urged caution when dealing with AmeriPro. “I'm kind of leery about believing what they tell me anymore. "If the county leans further on AmeriPro, he said, "We need to put some fail-safes in that contract. "County Attorney Foreman agreed to ask the contractor what additional funding it would require to add units, and County Manager Kraus said he would reach out that afternoon.
A Tax Fight Is Looming:
MSTU, half-cent sales tax, special tax, just
raise taxes, do nothing
The sharpest exchanges of the morning came over how to pay for all of it.
County Manager Kraus laid out a proposed law-enforcement Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) — a property tax that would raise the MSTU while lowering the general millage.
Last Monday night, Lake City jettisoned participation in the Countywide law enforcement MSTU. Commissioners Murphy and Hollingsworth said a County MSTU without the City would effectively hand it a tax break while the sheriff still patrols the City.
Commissioner Murphy said, "This five board panel here [the County 5] would have given the City taxpayers a tax break.” Commissioner Hollingsworth added, “And put it on our County tax. And I'm not doin' that.”
The conversation pivoted to transparency. The County 5 said the public does not realize how much of the property tax bill funds public safety.
Commissioner Hollingsworth called for the budget to show graphically where every tax dollar goes. County Manager Kraus noted property taxes are a small share of overall revenue, and County Attorney Foreman weighed in, “Make no mistake, the hearings on the 18th (public hearings to establish law enforcement and EMS MSTUs) are about tax increases.”
Chairman Murphy revealed he is “leaning towards sales tax,” describing a half-cent levy — which generates about $7.5 million a year locally — as a "fair tax" because everyone who spends a dollar in the county contributes. County Manager Kraus explained the county missed the application window, meaning a sales tax could not take effect until 2028–2029.
That left a menu of options: an MSTU now, a future sales tax, an MSTU bridging to a sales tax, doing nothing, a special tax, cutting existing budgets, or a non-binding straw poll.
Commissioners Parnell and Hollingsworth favored letting voters weigh in. “Bottom line, I want the citizens to make a decision as to whether EMS is important enough to pay more money in taxes,” Mr. Hollingsworth said.
Epilogue: Moving Forward
The County scheduled a special meeting to address the EMS issue for next Wednesday morning, June 10 at 10:30.
If the County Management and the County 5 act according to form, there will be inadequate supporting information (backup), some of it will be non-ADA compliant, Commissioner Ford will ignore his microphone, and The 5’s written rules of decorum will go out the window, with the usual interrupting and overtalking, turning parts of the meeting into noisy bar-room verbal brawls.
County Chairman Tim Murphy. Will he tame the
wild west nature of the Board for Wednesday's
meeting.
Chairman Murphy, cognizant of the state’s property tax overhaul and the looming budget crisis, said at last Thursday’s meeting, “We got to prepare this budget this year as if we're going to be $8 million short. I think we would be doing the county taxpayers a disservice by not keeping that in the background."
It is important for the County 5 to put on their big-boy pants and abide by their rules, so everyone can hear and act with a clear head. This is important business.
