The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) reports that all 23 counties affected by the closing of Emergystat Ambulance Service are currently covered by an alternative emergency service. According to MSDH's Office of Emergency Planning and Response, each county has one, if not two, services.

MSDH is continuing to work with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and county officials to ensure that all counties have the level of emergency declaration that is needed to provide for the health and safety of the citizens within the affected jurisdictions.

All area emergency management agencies, hospitals and 911 call centers are aware of the situation. Persons in the affected counties who experience an emergency should continue to call 911 for assistance.

"We are sending health department staff into the affected counties in order to help with the transition, and to aid in the licensing of ambulance services so these counties can return to their normal service level as quickly as possible," said State Health Office Dr. Ed Thompson.

The following counties are affected by the Emergystat Ambulance Service closure:

Amite, Coahoma, Chickasaw, Claiborne, Greene, Holmes, Jefferson, Kemper, Marshall, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Panola, Pearl River, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tunica, Wilkinson, Winston and Yazoo.

The MSDH will continue to provide additional important information as needed.

Again, persons in the affected counties who experience an emergency should continue to call 911 for assistance.

Update January 25

Affected counties and providers now offering ambulance services

• Amite: AAA
• Coahoma: Transcare, Pafford
• Chickasaw: Transcare, Pafford
• Claiborne: AMR, Central MS
• Greene: Stone County Hospital Ambulance
• Holmes: Medstat
• Jefferson: MissLou
• Kemper: ASAP
• Marshall: Transcare
• Neshoba: Neshoba General
• Newton: ASAP
• Noxubee: Transcare
• North Panola: Tri Lakes
• Pearl River: AMR, South MS
• Scott: Scott County (new service begun by county)
• Simpson: AMR, Central MS
• Smith: Smith County EMS (new service begun by county)
• Sunflower: Pafford, Delta Regional
• Tallahatchie: Transcare
• Tunica: Transcare, Rural Metro
• Wilkinson: West Feliciana
• Winston: Medstat, Oktibbeha
• Yazoo: Yazoo (new service begun by county)

Counties that own ambulances purchased through the state Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund

• Claiborne: 1
• Coahoma: 4
• Noxubee: 1
• Panola: 2
• Scott: 1
• Simpson: 1
• Sunflower: 1
• Tallahatchie: 2
• Yazoo: 1

Licenses to service providers

According to the MSDH Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, the Department of Health has issued 111 licenses for ambulance service county operations. Ambulance service providers are rquired to have a license for each county in which they operate.

Ambulances statewide

Mississippi currently has 567 emergency vehicles authorized for ambulance service.

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Press Contact: Liz Sharlot , Elizabeth Grey or Carol Jarvis Jones, (601) 576-7667