By Caleb Sprous

Merced Sun-Star

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. — Poor response times led Merced County supervisors this week to sever ties with the ambulance company that has served the area for roughly 80 years.

Beginning Jan. 1, American Medical Response West Inc. (AMR) will replace Riggs Ambulance Service as the county’s medical transport service. The board vote was unanimous at its Oct. 7 meeting.

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County officials said Riggs met contracted response times only six months of the current five-year contract.

“The department chose to go out to bid because (Riggs) has such poor response times that they were putting residents’ lives at risk,” Merced County Public Health Director Dr. Kristynn Sullivan said at the Oct. 7 meeting. The bidding

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