Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In a recent letter addressed to employees, Care Ambulance’s parent company, Falck USA, announced that it would be shuttering its operations in Dallas, Chilton and Lowndes counties effective July 1.

The letter states that the company will consolidate its Alabama and Georgia operations into its Montgomery and Phenix City locations.

“I recognize that this news is uncomfortable to hear, especially coming on the heels of the tragedies the Care family has experienced together over the past couple of months,” the letter states, though it makes no mentions of the “tragedies” faced by the company. “Falck’s commitment to you is to make this a dignified and rumor-free process.”

The letter stated that, in an effort to give employees time to “start making career decisions that are best for them and their families,” all employees in the three effected counties had been provided a layoff notice.

Further, the letter stated that the company would be working with customers over the next 60 days to “ensure a smooth transition” of services to another provider.

The layoff date is set for July 1 and all employees who stay until then will receive a severance package, the letter said.

The letter then goes on to state that current employees have the potential to take on a new role with the company, either by working in its Montgomery or Phenix City location or in one of its other operations across the country.

For his part, Vaughan Regional Medical Center (VRMC) CEO David McCormack said the closure of the local ambulance service is a loss to the community.

“It definitely has an impact on our community because they’re the only ambulance service in our area,” McCormack said. “It’s definitely a negative.”

Still, McCormack is optimistic, saying that multiple ambulance services are already jockeying to fill the void that will be left by Care Ambulance’s departure, all of which will be vetted by a task force being created by Selma City Council President Corey Bowie and Dallas County Probate Judge jimmy Nunn.

“Several other groups are interested in coming in,” McCormack said. “One is really all you need, we just need to get the right one.”

Further, McCormack expects that any new provider will rely heavily on previous Care Ambulance employees to fill its staff.

McCormack added that he has talked with both U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-AL, and U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-AL, about the issue and both are committed to ensuring that Dallas County gets a new ambulance service timely.

McCormack is confident a new service provider will be able to step up as soon as Care Ambulance shutters its operations July 1.

“I think that’s the goal for everyone involved,” McCormack said.