PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) –
Petersburg residents may be seeing a change in service if they call 9-1-1.
Earlier this year on July 1st , the city authorized a $92,000 funding cut to a private company that responds to emergency calls within the city.
The company is called Southside Virginia Emergency Crew, and with the change, the company will now be responding to fewer emergency calls within the city of Petersburg. Fire stations at strategic locations will take over calls within certain areas.
“It would be very sad for this organization to be here 70 years, giving excellent EMS care to the citizens, and just be pushed out of the picture. It would be very sad,” says Bubby Bish Jr., the director of operations for the private company.
Bish says the company has machines that first responders use during emergencies to assist patients with breathing and during CPR procedures. These are equipments the city of Petersburg does not have at this time.
http://www.wric.com/story/26420093/concern-over-petersburg-emergency-response-times