Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has signed a bill into law that will make it easier for ambulance providers to answer calls for help outside of their commercial territories and lower response times.
House Bill 1664 was signed into law April 17, and will require ambulance providers such as AMR and Pafford EMS Ambulance Services, which both operate in the Jackson metro area, to reach out to other care providers in the area when there is an emergency they cannot immediately respond to.
Likewise, AAA Ambulance Services in Hattiesburg and Forrest County could reach out to ASAP Ambulance, which serves Laurel, if there was a call that they could respond to that was closer.
The law would only take effect for providers when they make new contracts with counties or cities. Current contracts would not need to change and care providers would still be barred from taking emergency calls outside their designated territory.
Bill sponsor Shanda Yates, I-Jackon, told the Clarion Ledger she filed the legislation after hearing of several instances in Jackson when AMR ambulances did not arrive to emergencies for long periods of time after a call had been made to 911.