Chief: Dilapidated Trailer Unfit for Miss. EMS Crew

July 26--NEWTON -- City of Newton officials are hoping to find new quarters for personnel with LifeCare Ambulance Emergency Medical Service.

The ambulance crew is working out of a run-down trailer rented from the city that is beyond repair, Newton Fire Chief Steven Kelly told the Board of Aldermen at a Tuesday meeting.

Kelly said if better living conditions are not provided, the ambulance service could relocate outside of the city, which could result in slower response times.

Kelly said the mobile home, for which LifeCare pays the city $250 a month, has been in bad shape for a long time.

"When Katrina hit, gas pumps from the gas station smashed into the back wall doing considerable damage and we patched it up then," Kelly said. "Now there is rotten wood and mold growing inside there."

Kelly said the floor beneath chairs and couches is also collapsing.

"One of the guys dropped his phone and it went through a hole in the floor," Kelly said. "He had to climb under the home where there are broken pipes and raw sewage to get it."

Newton Mayor David Carr asked Kelly to get quotes on the cost to replace the trailer.

"I went all over the place looking for a used trailer," Kelly said. "I found a 1995, two bedroom, two baths, central air, stove and refrigerator, sold as is, for $10,000. The other quote I got was for a 1994 model listed at $16,500."

Board members agreed to talk with the owners of LifeCare about renegotiating the contract before making a decision to purchase a new mobile home.

The owners of Life Care Ambulance Service could not be reached for comment.

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