Atlanta Ambulance Budget Cuts Put Lives of Accident Victims at Risk

June 27, 2008 - Earlier this week, 50-year-old Ricky Hawkins crashed into an electric pole head-on at the intersection of Lee and Oak Streets in Southwest Atlanta. Another vehicle was involved in the accident, as well, but the driver was unharmed, unlike Hawkins. Though Hawkins’ injuries were not life-threatening, he suffered from a fractured jaw, and his front teeth were knocked out in the crash. Ambulance medics were unsure if he was experiencing internal bleeding at the time of transfer to the hospital. Because the victim was transported to the hospital quickly, his injuries will most likely heal without further damage. What if the ambulance had not responded in ample time, however?

Sadly, that question may be answered by victims of car accidents in Atlanta next week. According to Grady EMS officials, the loss of nearly one-third of the budget for the ambulance service that covers the city of Atlanta will likely result in extreme delays for ambulance responses upon crashes. Currently, Grady EMS meets its target response time of 8 minutes or less, but budget cuts will lead to fewer units, leading to a possible 35-minute wait for accident victims. To ensure profitability, ambulances may be diverted from emergency calls to less serious transport services that bring in more revenue (like driving wealthy clients home from the hospital).

By cutting budgets, Fulton County Commissioners risk cutting short the very lives of their Atlanta residents. We hope the risk does not become reality.

We at Murphy & Associates handle car accident cases.  For more information, contact us at 770-577-3020 for a free consultation.