I see there is a talkgroup entry for Rural Metro EMS in Blount County, on TACN, of 10064. Shouldn't this be AMR EMS and not Rural Metro?
Thanks.
Mike
Thanks.
Mike
Rural Metro EMS Talkgroup on Blount County
- Thread starter WatnNY
- Start date
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- Sep 22, 2017
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- 125
Yes this county uses AMR as a private Ambulance service.
So the label of it being Rural Metro is just wrong? And thanks for the reply!
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2017
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- 125
I would label it AMR EMS DISP
I can do that! I just wanted to make 100% sure before I did anything!
- Joined
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Last I heard it was a private service. I even did some internet searching and seen AMR services that area.
Yes, AMR is the emergency EMS service for Blount County. I have no idea how it got entered as "Rural Metro", though I know there used to be Rural Metro Fire in Knox County, but I almost think it was AMR ambulance up there, too!
zachgallop
Member
AMR and Rural Metro are part of the same parent company, Global Medical Response (GMR). Until recently, while AMR branding was used on the trucks, contracts were held by Rural Metro. This changed with recent contract adjustments in Knox and Blount counties. Rural Metro provided services for Knox, Blount, and Loudon counties, but Loudon has now transitioned entirely to Priority Ambulance. Also, McMinn may also use to have a contract with Rural Metro prior to the change but not sure but they do use AMR now.
GMR, which owns both AMR and Rural Metro, has discussed potentially selling the Rural Metro Fire division. In Knox and Blount counties, ambulance service licenses display both Rural Metro and AMR. Many of these operations in East Tennessee are managed from a shared facility on Gallows Point Drive in Hardin Valley, Knox County. Additionally, Lifeguard Ambulance, also owned by GMR, is dispatched by Rural Metro/AMR Communications at Knox 911. Medtrans, which partially operates UT Lifestar, is also GMR, as are most other aeromedical services in Tennessee.
GMR, which owns both AMR and Rural Metro, has discussed potentially selling the Rural Metro Fire division. In Knox and Blount counties, ambulance service licenses display both Rural Metro and AMR. Many of these operations in East Tennessee are managed from a shared facility on Gallows Point Drive in Hardin Valley, Knox County. Additionally, Lifeguard Ambulance, also owned by GMR, is dispatched by Rural Metro/AMR Communications at Knox 911. Medtrans, which partially operates UT Lifestar, is also GMR, as are most other aeromedical services in Tennessee.
Thanks for all of the information, Zach. I will leave things be for a while then. Maybe AMR in Blount County will re-brand their ambulances as Rural Metro and nothing will be changed. I was just confused, as everything i still labeled AMR...
Can confirm: the 'Rural/Metro' name for EMS in E TN is long gone (and buried, even if it still exists on certain TN EMS License records). All of the units (Knox and Blount Co) are known as AMR and are branded the same. I'd recommend going ahead with a change to the 10064 TG to AMR BLOUNT EMS DISP (or something, since AMR has operations in several TN counties).
The only remaining 'Rural/Metro' branded emergency service provider in E TN at the moment is the Knox County Fire Division. As Zach stated, there's a chance (a good chance) it's being sold off and will likely be rebranded. But we'll save that for another thread.
The only remaining 'Rural/Metro' branded emergency service provider in E TN at the moment is the Knox County Fire Division. As Zach stated, there's a chance (a good chance) it's being sold off and will likely be rebranded. But we'll save that for another thread.
Thank you for confirming the information!
Why not for now just type it as Rural Metro/AMR EMS?
Because it's not Rural Metro at all?
They go by Priority EMS in other parts of TN
If they are running the old skins and the State of TN EMS LICENSE says Rural Metro that is the name on the LICENSE.
If they are running the old skins and the State of TN EMS LICENSE says Rural Metro that is the name on the LICENSE.
surfacemount
Member
I've held off commenting because it's out of my lane, but I have been in a related field and have many friends in EMS.
TR/M is... pernicious.
Their favorite game is to let competition build, then buy them. But leave them running under that name.
Knox County has tried to get rid of them for a long time.
Blount County was TR/M in the 80's and 90's when I was a deputy there. One of my closest friends at the time was one of their senior Paramedics. (This was when you could program an entire county into a 16 personality bank with no real problems lol)
Priority was started by people that left R/M in Lenoir City. They worked with my wife at Fort Loudoun Medical Center. Their main office now is by the medical school off pellissippi. Unless it was all a ruse, they have 0 to do with rural and metro.
I can't really tell you who is behind what truck without seeing if the bill comes from prescott AZ lol.
Bottom line, is it is all a shell game for the purposes of billing. The same medics work for multiple companies. I gave up on the nonemergent companies years ago, too.
I say all that to say this is why you are having so much trouble figuring out what label to put on the talkgroups. I have literally sat in the vehicles and asked them why they still have metro channels, just to hear them laugh. You might have a medic with her own radio; she may work for four different companies in three counties. (Shrugs) They pay terribly, and treat them terribly.
radiocrazy123
Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2022
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- 65
Here's an idea. Who cares. Just label it Blount County EMS Dispatch. Because it doesn't matter if it's Rural Metro yesterday, AMR today, or Vols LLC tomorrow (kidding). The talkgroup is still for Blount County Emergency Medical Services and will remain as such no matter who gets awarded the contract next for Blount Co EMS 
