By Joni Quinn
Staff Writer
July 16, 2008 04:11 pm Trinity EMS has signed a three-year contract to provide ambulance service — and a $51,000 fee for dispatch services — to the city. Trinity, based out of Lowell, has served the city since 2000 and runs 12 ambulances throughout the city — three to the city, four working with hospitals, and four serve as a backup to those, which are all driven by certified EMTs and paramedics, said Mayor James Fiorentini. Any call that comes to the city's 911 emergency phone line will be transferred to Trinity. "It means that whether it's a nursing home or a residence, the call goes to Trinity," Fiorentini said. For the first time, the contract will include a payment to the city of $51,000. "It is a fee that the city charges for dispatching vehicles. The city needs the added revenue and this is one way to do it," Fiorentini said. The request for the payment to the city is becoming common in Massachusetts, said Trinity President John Chemaly. Because of the payment, the city had to put the ambulance contract out for bid. All the applications were sent to a committee that reviewed the application and recommendations for each company. "Trinity was voted unanimously. They have provided a superb service over the past three years. Their track record was the deciding factor. There was no reason to switch," said Fiorentini. However, before the city can accept the payment, it must first be approved by the federal inspector general.
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