By Paul Wilcoxen
The Southern Illinoisan
HARRISBURG, Ill. — American Medical Response (AMR) representatives raised concerns at Thursday morning’s Harrisburg city council meeting about how emergency medical calls are dispatched within the city.
Heather Morris, Regional Director for Global Medical Response, oversees AMR and addressed the council to clarify the company’s role and ensure compliance with the existing agreement.
Morris explained that, per the agreement with the city signed on Feb. 1, AMR is designated as the primary responder for 911 emergency calls.
“We are to receive all calls, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Morris said.
However, she claimed that specific calls, including those requiring Advanced Life Support (ALS), are instead directed to the fire department, which operates at a Basic Life Support (BLS) level.
She referenced a call earlier that morning from a nursing home involving a disoriented patient with high blood pressure that was sent to the fire department.
“That is an ALS call that puts you at risk and liability for that call as you respond,” she said.
Morris said she met with Fire Chief John Gunning and Commissioner Raymond Gunning on Feb. 11 and was assured that only non-emergent calls would be sent to the fire department; however, she told the council that the practice has continued.
A dispatch document approved by Chief Gunning and Sheriff Whipper Johnson directs all 911 calls to AMR, but Morris said AMR was not consulted beforehand.
She also took issue with a provision allowing law enforcement officers on scene to determine which ambulance service to dispatch, arguing that they lack medical training to make such decisions.
“My concern is you’re putting the city at risk, and as a citizen, you’re putting me at risk,” Morris said.
She requested the council visit the instructions and mentioned a meeting on Friday with local officials, including Commissioner Gunning, Chief Gunning, Sheriff Johnson, and 911 Director Tracy Felty, to address the situation.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning questioned whether AMR’s mutual aid agreement with Gallatin County would result in Harrisburg ambulances being dispatched out of town. Morris pushed back, clarifying that AMR would not send its last available ambulance to another county.
“That is not what I told you in the call [Wednesday],” she said. “We will not send our last ambulance out to respond to another community.”
Commissioner Roger Angelly emphasized the importance of resolving the confusion and asked for a report of the meeting to be made to the council.
“If you are the first responders, and we’re supposed to do that, but make sure that we’re getting the confusion straightened out,” Angelly said.
Mayor John McPeek pointed out that the sheriff’s office is willing to adjust dispatching procedures if formally instructed.
“The sheriff was up here, and he said that if the city sends a letter to him defining how to do this, he will instruct his dispatchers on how to make the calls,” McPeek said.
Morris reiterated AMR’s commitment to upgrading services in Harrisburg, mentioning the addition of a second ALS truck at no cost to the city.
Commissioner Rupert Johnson sought clarity on whether these issues have been ongoing. Morris confirmed they have, saying she recently resumed her regional role and was made aware of the situation.
She also cited a personal experience in which her grandmother’s transport was delayed due to the current dispatching practices.
“What you’re doing is delaying patient care in those situations,” she said.
Fire Chief John Gunning provided his perspective, saying that Sheriff Johnson reached out for guidance after receiving complaints about dispatching. Gunning acknowledged the fire department’s role in responding to auto accidents but noted that the department does not control how calls are sent.
“We have no control over what dispatch tones us,” he said.
Chief Gunning defended the fire department’s work. “I think my guys do a very well job with what they do,” he said. “No, we’re not ALS, we’re BLS, but they are instructed — if it’s an ALS call, upgrade.”
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