Emergency response time three minutes faster than average
Twin City Ambulance
by JESSICA L. FINCH Amherst Associate Editor

Twin City Ambulance employees Michael Grisanti, left, and Brian Murphy, and Chief Executive Officer Thomas J. Maxian, stand with a rig at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. The company recently renewed its joint contract with Amherst, Clarence, Newstead, Akron, Williamsville and the fire districts of Eggertsville, Clarence and Snyder. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

By renewing its joint contract with Twin City Ambulance, the towns of Amherst and Clarence are actually providing a better service than had individual contracts been signed.

Twin City Chief Executive Officer Tom Maxin said the contract went into effect Jan. 1 and also includes Newstead, Akron, Williamsville and the fire districts for Snyder, Eggertsville and Clarence.

He called the joint contract "brilliant," adding that the company can provide faster response times.

"By working together we can rotate the ambulances through the towns," he said, noting that when one goes on a call the shift is made to cover the areas.

He said the national average for response times is eight minutes and 59 seconds; the Town of Amherst requires a maximum of six minutes in 80 percent of the calls.

"Elected officials and fire chiefs have demanded a much higher standard," Maxin said.

In addition to having more rigs covering the towns, Twin City Ambulance has provided a flexible deployment system, providing maximum coverage. This allows Twin City, or the town's dispatchers, to reroute an ambulance if it is the closest to an emergency. In the past, an ambulance had to stay with its original dispatch, even for a nonemergency call.

The contract is at no cost to the towns. It is for three years, with two, one-year renewal options.

"It's a terrific deal for the towns; it costs them nothing," he said.

The contract is created by an EMS board, consisting of representatives from the towns and the fire districts. Mike Parker, chairman of the EMS board and chief of Ellicott Creek Fire Department, said this is the second contract including the group.

"Twin City did a phenomenal job with response times, and their rapport is outstanding," he said.