LIFECARE ON STANDBY

City, township switch to LifeCare ambulance

LifeCare is the official ambulance service provider for both the city of Vermilion and Brownhelm Township. Vermilion Mayor Jim Forthofer signed the contract Feb. 6 among LifeCare and Vermilion Fire Department representatives at LifeCare’s new Station No. 7, 1011 Douglas St. in Vermilion. Forthofer, LifeCare Vice President Herb DeLaporte and LifeCare Chief Operation Officer Don Schiffbauer all agreed the transition in providers from North Central EMS to LifeCare was smooth. “There were some bumps in the road, as contracts go,” Forthofer said. “But this transition was very smooth despite that. The main concern was maintaining service and fast response for our residents.”

“If we see a growing need for our services, an expansion could definitely be possible.”

— Herb DeLaporte, vice president of LifeCare

“We’re very excited about this transition,” Schiff bauer said. “Everything has gone as smoothly as we could have hoped for.” Forthofer said the city has worked with LifeCare since January to develop a contract after Vermilion Township opted out of its previous contract with North Central in 2018, which was shared between the two townships and city. “It wasn’t that the services from North Central were inadequate,” Forthofer said. “It was that once Vermilion Township left, the contract wasn’t really suitable for us anymore. It just didn’t fit.” The station fits two vehicles and adequately can house two responders 24 hours seven days a week with two living quarters, a shower, bathroom, general living space and kitchen. “With this building, we could definitely expand it to fit as many as four people,” DeLaporte said. “If we see a growing need for our services, an expansion could definitely be possible.” DeLaporte said LifeCare currently has six stations that run in Lorain County. The Vermilion station is LifeCare’s only ambulance service station that operates outside of Lorain County and into Erie County, he said.

“We’re very excited about this transition. Everything has gone as smoothly as we could have hoped for.” — LifeCare Chief Operation Officer Don Schiffbauer

JORDANA JOY — THE MORNING JOURNAL From left: Kimberly Mason, LifeCare ambulance director of operations, LifeCare Vice President Herb DeLaporte, Vermilion Mayor Jim Forthofer, LifeCare Chief Operating Officer Don Schiffbauer and Vermilion Fire Department Assistant Chief Dave Coen at LifeCare Station No. 7 contract signing Feb. 6 at 1011 Douglas St. in Vermilion.