County Commissioner Tony Masilotti has developed a sudden interest in ambulances.
He was so concerned about the way a private ambulance service is operating that he recently followed an ambulance rushing to a call in Wellington and confronted its crew.
That was one of three times in the past two weeks Masilotti has complained about ambulance operator American Medical Response, or AMR. He lodged a complaint about AMR with county officials, and this week tried to have the county dump its contract with the company.
Masilotti could not be reached for comment Friday, despite attempts by phone at his county office, his business office and at home.
Masilotti's interest in AMR comes after differences in recent months with its consultant, the high-profile lobbyist Hugo Unruh.
They supported different candidates for Wellington Village Council -- Unruh's won -- and differed over Wellington annexation issues.
Unruh declined to attribute a motive to Masilotti's sudden interest in his client's operations. "I find it strange. I find it odd," he said.
Masilotti twice complained about AMR operations in the field.
An e-mail from Palm Beach County paramedic Kevin Hannah to a supervisor, describing the May 12 incident, indicates Masilotti was in a hurry.
Hannah, already on the scene, wrote that he "watched as they [the ambulance] arrived and noticed a car following them. The driver of the car parked in the middle of the road behind the ambulance and the driver stepped out."
Hannah recognized the driver of the car as Masilotti, who informed him the ambulance "had just ran four lights while traveling 70 mph to the call."
Masilotti wanted to know why the ambulance had used its lights and siren, then approached and questioned the ambulance crew, Hannah said.
Another internal Fire Rescue e-mail, from Deputy Chief Mike Southard, described the incident as a confrontation.
An AMR report signed by the ambulance driver and attendant said Masilotti told them they shouldn't have used lights and sirens and also explained "he signed the order in which manner we should respond also stating he wrote the statute and codes."
Masilotti told them he would conduct a meeting to "re-evaluate the procedures" for private ambulances.
At about the same time as the Wellington incident, Masilotti complained to Assistant County Administrator Vince Bonvento that an AMR ambulance traveling through Royal Palm Beach with its lights and sirens on suddenly turned them off and drove into a fast-food restaurant.
There was no way to determine what happened because Masilotti didn't provide the date or time, Bonvento said.
After reviewing the way AMR operates, Bonvento said he found nothing wrong.
"AMR has done an outstanding job," Bonvento said.
The company provides basic ambulance service and is paid by patient insurance plans. County Fire Rescue provides advanced ambulance service for most of the county outside municipal boundaries and in some cities and villages.
AMR also provides advanced ambulance service for the Glades communities near Lake Okeechobee.
That, Bonvento said, saves the county a substantial amount.
When a call comes in to 911, a Fire Rescue crew and an ambulance are dispatched.
Bonvento said the ambulance is required to respond within 10 minutes, so lights and sirens often are used.
Ambulances are canceled if paramedics find that it's an advanced case that AMR can't handle, or they're told to slow down if the call is not urgent.
Bonvento said that happens frequently in Masilotti's community of Royal Palm Beach, and may be what took place with the fast-food report.
Tuesday, Masilotti asked fellow commissioners to direct the staff to explore taking over basic ambulance service.
A majority declined to go along.
No spokesman for AMR could be reached for comment.
