Liberty County Commissioners Court, at its regular meeting on Sept. 9, voted to award the contract for emergency ambulance services in unincorporated areas of the county to Acadian Ambulance Service.
The county’s current contract with Allegiance EMS runs through March 2026. An evaluation committee reviewed and scored four bids, with Acadian receiving the highest overall rating.
Some concern was raised about how the change might affect the cities of Dayton and Cleveland, which both maintain separate contracts with Allegiance EMS. Fire Marshal Nathan Green assured commissioners that it is common for counties and cities to contract with different ambulance providers, and that the decision should not affect city services. Green also noted that questions had been raised about the service over the past three to four months, though it had continued to be provided.
Pct. 3 Commissioner David Whitmire said he believed Allegiance had been doing a good job and asked his colleagues if they agreed. Pct. 2 Commissioner Greg Arthur responded that opinions will always vary on the quality of service. Commissioners ultimately voted to award the bid to Acadian in order to act on the recommendations of the committee.
Commissioners also heard a report from Sheriff Bobby Rader on ongoing repairs at the Liberty County Jail. Rader said door locks and intercoms are expected to arrive Monday, Sept. 15, after which the county’s maintenance crew will begin installing sensors.
Lighting problems have been corrected in four units, plumbing repairs completed in seven units, and painting is ongoing in three dorms. Rader said fire restoration work, needed after inmates set fires inside the facility, was set to begin Sept. 10 and should be completed within five weeks. Commissioners accepted the report without objection.
With the City of Liberty discontinuing its Jubilee event this year, commissioners voted to shift the county holiday typically associated with Jubilee to Oct. 15 this year, the date of the Trinity Valley Exposition opening day parade. The date fluctuates from year to year but is typically on the Wednesday that falls in the middle of October. The move will allow county employees to attend TVE events and support their children participating in livestock and project shows.
Commissioners also approved the Sheriff’s Office application for funding through Texas House Bill 4264, which provides a one-time lump sum payment of $6,500 to full-time employees with master proficiency certificates. The application will include bailiffs and the fire marshal. Constables and the district attorney’s office will need to file separate applications on behalf of deputy constables and courthouse security personnel.
So who is this “evaluation committee” that received and reviewed bids on yet another Ambulance service coming into the county, and what is their knowledge or expertise in EMS services?
Maybe they should consult with people that are actually in EMS, and have a clue about how EMS services run and operate!
Maybe one day the good ole boy system will go away, but until then, unfortunately it’s the residence of this county whose lives are going to be at risk!
I used to work for acadian but left for a better work, I enjoyed my time there and have insight into their operations. Acadian is a private primarily interfacility-transport (ift) company. Ift medical transports do not maintain the same standards that county residents require from a 911 resource. Ift crews take stable hospital discharge patients home, to Drs appointments, or between hospitals. There is very minimal room for crews to learn or use their skill, or development their clinical knowledge. The very nature of ift prevents this grown from occuring.
Why is this a problem? Acadian does not dedicate 911 resources to only running 911 calls, they often use the 911 ambulance to run ift calls to make the company profit, then need lower level ift trucks to run the 911 calls. This system often negatively impacts county residents who need an ambulance and an experienced 911 crew but receive poorly trained ift crews.
Additionally Acadian lobbied the Texas State to allow ambulances to be staffed by a single EMT and an uncredentialed ambulance driver. This is opposite to what other neighboring counties receive ie: at least one paramedic and EMT, often two paramedics. Fortunately Acadian will prioritize excellent patient care and not squeezing profits at the expense of their staff and patients