08/14/2026
LETTS EMS FLOOD RESPONSE โ FRANKLIN COUNTY
From 3:48 a.m. on August 13 until 2:37 a.m. on August 14, Letts EMS maintained an ambulance in Laurel due to the significant flooding and rapidly changing road conditions across Franklin County.
As roads became flooded, closed, or impassable, our normal response routes were significantly affected. Rather than wait for an emergency to occur and then discover we could not reach it quickly, we strategically positioned ambulances and paramedics throughout the county to maintain EMS coverage.
At times, an additional ambulance was positioned in Laurel to strengthen coverage. As conditions changed and US 52 was closed west of Metamora, Ambulance 447 was relocated to Andersonville to maintain access to that area.
Throughout the flooding event, resources were positioned across the county, including:
Metamora: Two staffed ALS ambulances, supported by a Critical Care Paramedic in a chase vehicle.
Brookville: An ALS ambulance and a BLS ambulance were positioned to handle District 2 calls and other areas accessible from Brookville, along with a paramedic chase vehicle.
SR 229 Area: Our MMH ambulance was utilized to provide coverage along SR 229 and roads that could no longer be accessed from Brookville as floodwaters continued to rise.
Fairfield Causeway Road: An additional paramedic chase vehicle was positioned to provide a faster response to areas north of Brookville.
Southeastern Franklin County: Our Operational Medical Director remained available to respond to emergencies in the southeastern portion of the county.
Flooding creates a unique challenge for emergency services. A station may only be a few miles from a patient, but a flooded or closed roadway can turn those few miles into a significant detourโor make the patient completely inaccessible from that direction. Pre-positioning our resources allowed us to stay ahead of those challenges and maintain emergency medical coverage despite the conditions.
Most importantly, we are extremely thankful for our Letts EMS staff. Without hesitation, our EMTs and Paramedics stepped up, staffed additional resources, relocated throughout the county, and adapted as conditions changed.
These are the situations where preparation, teamwork, and dedication matter most. Our staff rose to the challenge and made sure that when Franklin County needed EMS, we were positioned to respond.
Thank you to every member of our team who worked through this flooding event and to all of the fire, law enforcement, highway, dispatch, and emergency management personnel who worked alongside us to keep Franklin County safe.
Chief Morrow
