Capital Health now providing EMS in Bucks County, Pennsylvania towns

A Capital Health paramedic unit, also sometimes called a Lifemobile. (Provided photo, Jamie Chebra)

Starting Saturday, ambulances from Capital Health in Mercer County will start providing emergency medical services (EMS) to a portion of Falls Township, Pennsylvania.

And later this fall, the company will take over primary EMS in Morrisville, just across the river from Trenton, where the ambulance service in the town of about 8,500 is winding down.

Falls Township is acting now because the Morrisville Ambulance Squad had covered emergencies in about 12 percent of their town, Falls leaders said this week.

Falls Supervisor Chairman Bob Harvie said in a statement that Falls Fire Marshal Rich Dippolito was "very impressed and very comfortable" with Capital Health assisting the township with the area formerly served by Morrisville ambulances.

The Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad will continue to be the primary medical responders for the majority of the 34,000 residents in Falls, LevittownNow.com reported.

In a statement, Capital Health's EMS director, Jim Boozan said patients who are transported by ambulance will be taken to the medical center of their choosing. He said concerns about Capital Health "stealing" patients, or only taking patients to their facilities, are a nonissue.

"You want to take them where they want to go, where their physician is, where their medical records are," Boozan said.

The Capital Health service in Falls starts on Saturday, Sept. 22.

In Morrisville, the town's rescue squad said last month they would close down by Nov. 1, after years of financial setbacks, prompting the town to seek a full time ambulance service, the Bucks County Courier Times reported.

Capital Health plans to operate from the Morrisville squad's North Washington Street location, Boozan said in a statement.

Capital Health operates two hospitals in Mercer County which bear the Capital Health name, in Trenton and Hopewell Township, as well as an outpatient center in Hamilton.

The healthcare company also provides advance life support (ALS) paramedic service in Mercer County as well.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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