Sumter County EMTs and paramedics sought support from Villagers during a golf cart rally Wednesday afternoon.
Larry Jay of the Village of De La Vista West drove his golf cart to Lake Sumter Landing to join in the rolling rally that traveled to Brownwood and back.
“They really need our support,” said Jay, who was a volunteer firefighter for 32 years in Memphis, Mich.
Stew Eubanks, president of the local paramedics and EMTs union, said negotiations with American Medical Response, Inc. have been contentious.
AMR purchased Rural/Metro Ambulance which originally contracted with Sumter County after the county pulled out of Lake-Sumter EMS several years ago. Rural/Metro later declared bankruptcy and was purchased by AMR.
Sumter County’s paramedics and EMTs have been under the old Rural/Metro contract. Now they are negotiating with AMR which is offering $8.10 an hour for a starting EMT, Eubanks said.
“And the family plan insurance would go from a 70/30 split to a 60/40 split,” Eubanks said.
The union is hoping that Villagers will stand up for the paramedics and EMTs. Eubanks suggested reaching out to the Sumter County Commission, including the three commissioners who live in The Villages – Don Burgess, Al Butler and Steve Printz.
“The county has a contract with AMR,” Eubanks said. “So the county commissioners have a voice in this matter.”