The state has shut down the only ambulance service based in the eastern Iowa town of LeClaire. Gary Ireland, director of the Iowa Bureau of Emergency Services, says the operation of LeClaire Ambulance Service has been temporarily suspended pending a full review. Ireland says the action stems from an incident last month where a heart attack victim died.The ambulance driver was reportedly in a meeting at a nearby hospital discussing ways to better serve the community. It took the ambulance 22 minutes to respond to the heart attack call. Ireland says the response time should have been faster or another ambulance company should’ve been called.While LeClaire Ambulance Service is suspended, Ireland says residents in the Mississippi River town will continue to have access to emergency services. The ambulance service will be handled by a Davenport company.Ireland expects officials from the Bureau of Emergency Services to meet with the LeClaire Ambulance Service leaders and other Scott County emergency responders to “work through” the problems by the end of January.
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