The Miami times. [volume] (Miami, Fla.) 1923-current, 1956-12-22
WhH We Were Forced TO Quit
The Ambulance Business

On Dec. i, 1900 the lU negro
Funeral Homes located in Dade
County ceased the operation of
their ambulance service both pri-
vate and public. The funeral di-
rectors Of Dade County met and
organized 100 percent to study the
situation several months prior &c
making their decision. Each
funeral home produced records of
proof that they were losing from
500 to $3.50 per month by main
tanning ambulance service as it
was. The cause for this loss was
due to the increase in wages to
competent drivers and helpers. In
the mean time the City of Miami
had passed an ordinance to gov
ern the ambulance service in the
city of Miami with the intentions
of having the County Commits
sionerS adopting the same ordi-
nance. In part this ordinance, &C
cording to our Interpretation was
to drive or force us out of the
ambulance business. Under h e
new ordinance our insurance for
each vehicle would come to about
$3.50 per year. Each ambulance
had to have a special chauffeur
and a registered first aid aSSis-
tant. No two men could work
more than an eight hour shift.
That would mean six men for a
twenty-four shift for each ambu-
lance, which would cost us not
less than $1,340 per month to OPP
crate one ambulance and the same
amount for each additional one.
The ordinance also called for
straight ambulance only and not
older than two years. Said am
balances new would cost us
$4,000 and better each.
Other equipment and regula-
tons which we need not mention.
With our present equipment and
services we were losing money
il would have been a foolish ges-
ture to try to qualify with the or
dinance wherein our present rev.
enue from our calls were far
from adequate of meeting our
present overhead expenses. Sew.
eral operators reported that for
private calls they received pay
for one out of ten calls. All OPP
orators reported that they receiv-
ed nothing except bawling out
if they were little late in making
the calls from the Sheritfs
Dept; Florida Highway Patrol,
and the City Police Dept.
All operators reported that 70
percent of their calls were of the
emergency nature from the vari-
Gus law enforcement officers.
Therefore all operators decided
that after a period of more than
a quarter of century operating at
a loss OF thousands of dollars
yearly and under the conditions
of an increase loss of many more
thousands by the city'S ordinance
we 100 percent decided to grace
fully, and humbly bow out of the
ambulance picture. 1t was not our
desire to jeopardize the life and
welfare of the public nor to put
the public to any inconvenience,
but it was done because we were
trying to avoid bankruptcy which
would surely come and come soon
to each and everyone of us if con-
tinued to operate.
AS far as the City Commission
ers passing the ambulance ordi-
nance we think that they should
be commended instead of con-
demned. The ordinance as pass
ed by them is for the benefit of
every citizen in Dade County. The
life and health OF any individual
is worth more than any amount
that has to be paid out for an
ambulance company to comply
with the ordinance.
Now that is the true story of
the ambulance situation in Dade
County.
If you should need an ambu-
lance, if it's an emergency, call
the police. For private calls you
have three companys in Dade
county: Eastern, Miami and Will
liams service. You can also call
your funeral director although he
doesn't give ambulance service he
will assist you in getting an am