THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

As of Friday, Emergystat ambulance service was no longer able to serve Dallas County.

Emergystat no longer had liability insurance as its parent company struggled to get out of bankruptcy, and Care Ambulance Service struck a deal to acquire their ambulances, and hired their personnel.

Dennis Poole, who worked for Emergystat, now works for Care Ambulance. He said the move puts Dallas County in a better position, having one stronger company. Poole along with Dell Gamble, regional vice president for Care, inked a deal Monday with the Dallas County Commission.

Larry Lunan of Emergystat said his company struggled with getting financing for $15 million needed to get out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy status.

The deal recognized Care as the ambulance service for Dallas County. Ballard said the county discovered the previous company had been charging the county $640 per transport for county inmates. Poole said Care would do it at no cost.

The demise of Emergystat leaves Care as the only ambulance service in the county. Emergystat had been awarded an exclusive contract to transport Vaughan Regional Medical Center patients. The two companies had alternated days taking emergency calls.

Emergystat closed its Medical Center Parkway office next to Vaughan Regional, and Care now has Emergystat&8217;s ambulances parked at its Citizens Parkway office. Gamble said the Emergystat vehicles would soon be painted and striped as their own.