WAAY31 Investigates: Are There Enough Ambulances in Decatur? | News [Video]

WAAY31 is digging deeper into Decatur EMS services after residents raised concerns on social media about ambulance availability in the city. Some expressed worry that Decatur EMS recently had to call in help from other agencies for emergency calls. 

WAAY31 Weekend Anchor Rob Sneed sat down with Decatur Fire Chief Tracy Thornton to get answers.Thornton explained that while there are generally enough EMS trucks to handle emergency calls, unforeseen surges in call volume can strain resources. “Most times, there are enough,” he said. 

The fire chief offered a glimpse into the challenging life of a first responder. “You may go from one extreme—helping someone with a positive outcome—to a very far negative extreme, where no matter what you do, it has a negative outcome,” Thornton shared.

He said first responders must learn to handle these emotional ups and downs throughout their day.

WAAY31 reported that Decatur residents were concerned about …