AMBULANCE LifeTRANS becomes primary service

The change in ambulance companies costs the city nothing.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- A desire for better response time to accidents and emergency situations led city officials to evaluate various ambulance companies.
That comparison, said Mayor Ralph A. Infante, led him to choose Lane LifeTRANS. The company, which had been serving as the backup ambulance service to Rural Metro, became the primary service effective Aug. 1. It has offices in Niles and Mineral Ridge.
The change means that callers to 911 in Niles who request ambulances will be served by LifeTRANS. This does not prevent residents from using other ambulance services if they call them directly rather than going through 911.
"They are a truly classy outfit that can meet the needs of the Niles community," Infante said of LifeTRANS.
The change in ambulance companies does not cost the city anything, Infante added.
Happy to accept
"This is a really important day for us," said Joe Lane, owner of LifeTRANS. "We have been in the ambulance business for almost 50 years. We have served in communities adjacent to Niles, and we have served as the backup service here for a little while now. Serving as the primary ambulance company is something we've always wanted to do."
Infante said he gathered a lot of input from city officials -- especially the police and fire departments -- before making the switch. He also ensured LifeTRANS complied with city ordinance.
The company has already provided the city with a list of drivers, their background checks and their applicable licenses, Infante said.
slshaulis@vindy.com