Peninsula Emergency Medical Services Inc. (PEMSI) and Galveston County Emergency Services District No. 2 (GCESD#2) announce an organizational restructuring to improve and enhance emergency medical services on the Bolivar Peninsula. GCESD#2 was established by a vote of Bolivar Peninsula residents in 2013 with the intended purpose to help support emergency fire suppression and emergency medical services on the peninsula, with the eventual goal of becoming the emergency medical service provider. PEMSI was created through the dedicated efforts of the three local volunteer fire departments (High Island VFD, Crystal Beach VFD, Port Bolivar VFD) and has been the provider for ambulance services on the Bolivar Peninsula since 2012.

Currently, GCESD#2 contracts with PEMSI to provide their ambulance service, as well as the Volunteer Fire Departments providing the fire protection. Building upon these previous efforts to enhance and improve service, the GCESD#2 Board of Commissioners and PEMSI Board of Directors worked together to facilitate GCESD#2’s assumption of providing emergency medical services to peninsula residents and visitors. This change will allow assumption of providing emergency medical services to peninsula residents and visitors. This change will allow GCESD#2 to not only provide great services to the district but will also provide the best value for the taxpayers.

Beginning on Monday, January 14th, 2019, GCESD#2 2ill become the new provider of the ambulance service on the Bolivar Peninsula. It is important to note that current PEMSI employees and ambulances will be absorbed and retain by GCESD#2.

There will not be any noticeable changes nor any impact to the community:

• Current PEMSI employees and ambulances will be absorbed by the GCESD#2.
• This will be a seamless transition with no interruption in the delivery of ambulance services to Bolivar Peninsula residents and visitors.
• The same great people and ambulances will continue to provide the same great professional emergency medical services to the community as before.
• The only noticeable change will be a State required emergency medical service name change on uniforms and the ambulances, everything else remains the same.

GCESD#2 board of commissioners and staff would like to thank the board and employees of PEMSI for their dedication and outstanding commitment to providing a much-needed ambulance service to the residents of the Bolivar Peninsula.

For more information, contact Galveston County ESD No. 2 District Manager, Doug Saunders at 409-684-2016 or via email at [email protected]

January 10, 2019