COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – LifeCare Ambulance response time goals for priority one calls for the first quarter of 2026 were just under the criteria established under terms of a three-year contract with Branch County.
LifeCare Vice President of Operations Brian Walls told the Branch County Board of Commissioners during their work session on Thursday that while their overall response times met the metric in the contract during 83 percent of their calls, their priority one calls were just shy of the metric at 77 percent.
Priority three calls response time goals were met 91 percent of the time.
The contract calls for response times of 15 minutes or less on 80 percent of emergency or priority one calls. The same percentage applies to 30 minute priority three non-emergency calls.
The overall response time average was 12 minutes and 20 seconds. It was 10 minutes and 35 seconds for priority one calls and 14 minutes and 38 seconds on priority three calls.
Walls said their staffing was at 85 percent in the first quarter. He said he would like to see the employment level at above 90 percent.
LifeCare faces a five percent reduction in quarterly subsidy payments if response time goals are not met. The agreement with the county waives the penalty in cases like extreme weather and system overloads.
LifeCare did not meet the priority one response metrics during the first two quarters of 2025 but achieved response time goals in the third and fourth quarters.
Branch County and LifeCare entered into a three year contract agreement in January of 2025. LifeCare is responsible for providing quarterly updates to the Board of Commissioners detailing their response times measured against the contract.
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