American Medical Response to close Akron facility; 50 employees to be laid off

American Medical Response (AMR) has announced that it will close its Akron facility on South Broadway Street on August 1.

The company notified the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services of its decision to close its Akron facility earlier this week. The facility's closing will result in the permanent layoff of 25 emergency medical technicians, 20 paramedics, one mechanic and four supervisors.

The closing of AMR, which served as a subcontractor to handle non-emergency calls for transport, will put increased strain on the Akron Fire Department.

In an email to 3News, a spokesperson for AMR says "reduced demand for non-emergency transports, severe inflation, low government reimbursement, and other factors have made continuing along our current path unsustainable in Akron."

But according to a release from Akron Fire Chief Joseph Natko, the parting of the ways between the city and AMR came after negotiations for a new contract failed. Natko says AMR told the city several months ago that unless it paid the company a "significant subsidy," the contract with Akron would not be renewed.

"This payment of a subsidy was untenable for the City of Akron and its taxpayers," Natko stated. "The decision was made to support Akron Fire with increased staffing and resources to compensate for the additional non-emergency patient transports that will be conducted by Akron Fire starting August 1, 2023."


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