Region III EMS Coordinator, E.J. Daily, on behalf of the Region III EMS Council, presented the prestigious award to MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service President & CEO, Pete Quinones, at a recent ceremony held in Cobb County. The award recognizes a licensed EMS service in the greater-Atlanta area that exemplifies outstanding professionalism on the local, regional and state levels, as well as service to the community it serves.
MetroAtlanta Ambulance's impact on the wellness, safety and quality of life in Cobb County is apparent but what is not so well known is their true compassion for people in need and their willingness to lend a hand to help ensure the medical wellbeing of people all over the world.
In 2009 MetroAtlanta Ambulance service committed to assist Georgetown-Quitman County, Georgia, in West Central Georgia, start an ambulance service. Quitman County, 175 miles south of Atlanta, was the only county in the state of Georgia that did not have or have access to emergency medical services and they couldn ot find anyone to help. With a population of 2,600 people, no EMTs in the county and no sizable industry tax base to pull from, the County was in desperate need of assistance. MetroAtlanta Ambulance owner, Pete Quinones, was made aware of the situation by the State Region VII Coordinator, Sam Cunningham, and local Georgetown-Quitman officials. Pete made it the company’s capstone project for 2009 to do whatever was needed to assist and, after numerous meetings with County Officials, MAAS purchased and donated a new ambulance along with a spare ambulance to the County.
MetroAtlanta then developed policies and procedures, job descriptions, equipment requirements and provided initial training bringing Quitman EMS medics to ride with medic preceptors for several days in Cobb County’s 9-1-1 operations. MetroAtlanta also agreed to provide all dispatching and billing services at no cost to the County. It gave County officials the jumpstart they needed to open an ambulance service and today with a staff of 8 medics, Georgetown-Quitman EMS is saving lives in West Central Georgia. MetroAtlanta continues to support the Georgetown-Quitman County EMS operation by providing software, equipment, EMD dispatching services, complete billing services and ongoing consultation at no cost to the County. MetroAtlanta officials continue to work with local elected officials to find ways to enhance the delivery of EMS services in rural Georgia well into the future.
When disaster recently struck Haiti, MetroAtlanta Ambulance answered the prayers of the Haitian people deploying company medics to Haiti to provide much needed relief to volunteer workers and victims of the earthquakes. The medics deployed with a mission group from First Baptist Church Woodstock to a small village in Fond Parisian, Haiti, about 40 miles east of Port a Prince. The team operated a small clinic & OB hospital out of the Haiti Christian Mission from February 6-12, 2010. During their time there the team treated over 900 patients. In Cobb County the Company coordinated ground transportation over a four week period for more than 51 severely injured patients evacuated from Haiti into Dobbins Air Reserve Base as the EMS Transport Sector Coordinating entity for the National Disaster Management System (NDMS) “Team Atlanta”.
MetroAtlanta Ambulance continues to demonstrate their commitment to building a better community by actively contributing through volunteerism, philanthropic support and company leadership. Last year, MetroAtlanta Medics taught CPR, First Aid and workplace safety classes to numerous scout troops in the Atlanta Area Council, the young marines, athletic associations and local businesses. The Company provided more than $5 million in uncompensated care to Cobb County citizens and an additional $200,000 in philanthropic gifts and in-kind services to organizations throughout Georgia. They provided coverage for several local athletic events and other events including the PGA Tour, U.S. 10K Classic and the Atlanta Pride Festival. Working with local public safety and non-profit agencies, MetroAtlanta is providing much more than ambulance services. They are actively involved in the leadership and business of Cobb County and are helping to enhance the lives of youth, supporting neighbors in need and working to help find cures for illnesses and disease.
MetroAtlanta Ambulance provides 9-1-1 ambulance service for Cobb County, Georgia and is one of four EMS Services in Georgia to receive accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services, signifying the company’s compliance with the EMS industries highest quality standards of care.