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The Bells/ Savoy Ambulance Services were provided by Mullican-Little Funeral
Home. (The patients were only transported to the hospital; not given
emergency medical treatment.)
In 1979 the funeral home announced that it would discontinue its unprofitable
ambulance service.
After the owner of the Fannin County Ambulance disclosed the amount of time it
would take an ambulance to reach the area from Bonham, Bells and Savoy decided
to create a joint ambulance service, to serve both communities.
On June 22, 1979, committee members from both cities met in a special meeting at
the Bells City Hall. It was resolved that ambulance service for the area was
indeed wanted by the citizens. Clyde Little offered his ambulance for immediate
use by the volunteer group. The offer included the equipment on the vehicle
and a building site midway between the two cities. The laid the ground
work to organize an emergency ambulance service.
The cities of Bells and Savoy, both contributed money to the organization to fund
the new ambulance service. Fund raisers played a big part in the building of the
new Bells/Savoy Ambulance Service. Music & Auction benefits, and even an Elvis
impersonater, helped bring in donation. $2000 was donated by Savoy, when old
bookkeeping records revealed a long forgotten bank account, with no record on why
it was opened. With other funds made available by Grayson County, the service was
well on its way. Construction by volunteers, on the ambulance service headquarters
began in September of 1979. The original building was 30 x 30'. Half the building
was for the ambulance, and the other half for the volunteers to have an office
and a room to meet.
In the beginning the service was an all volunteer organization. Volunteers were
trained in CPR and First Aid by the Red Cross. They were also required to have
a Chauffeur's license. The service began with about 20 volunteers and a board of
directors.
In march of 1980, the new headquarters building was completed and Bells/Savoy
Community Emergency Services had a new home. The first paid employee of the
service, Don Francis, was hired in December of 1980. He was hired as general
manager with duties including maintenance of the vehicle and being on duty
during the day, when volunteer drivers were hard to find. Don Francis had had
been with the service since its creation.
Today, in the year 2000, the ambulance service is quite different than its humble
beginnings. The building has been greatly expanded and a dedication has been
placed on the outside wall in memory of Ellen Pullen Foules, one of the co-
founders and early volunteers of the ambulance service. Mrs. Foules drowned on South
Padre island in 1982.
There are now 4 full time employees and 8 part-time employees, providing 24 hour
coverage to Bells, Savoy and the surrounding areas. The service now boasts two,
type 3 ambulances which are much larger and more advanced than the original
converted Suburban. One Ambulance is staffed 7 days a week by 2 certified people.
The second ambulance is used as a back up unit and for special events. The level
of care provided has also increased since the days of chauffeur's licenses and first
aid courses. The Ambulances are certified at the Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU)
level and require at least on Paramedic and one EMT to staff them at all times.
The ambulance is no longer just a quick ride to the hospital. It evolved into a
state-of-the-art link in emergency medical patient care. As the field of pre-
hospital emergency medicine advances, so does the service provided by Bells/Savoy
Community Emergency Services. The most recent equipment purchased was a 12 lead
EKG monitor.
Bells/Savoy Community Emergency Services is committed to providing the best
emergency care possible to the communities it serves. For non-emergencies
we can be contacted at (903)965-7778. In Case of Emergency, call (903)965-7777 or 911.
We are located midway between Bells and Savoy at 770 State Highway 56, next door to
the funeral home, that made this service possible.
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