SAFE was created after our EMS agency, Lifestar, experienced firsthand what happens when access to serve a community is inconsistent within the same healthcare system.

While we continue to operate and provide care in Jacksonville, we have been restricted from operating in Springfield—despite being the same licensed, qualified provider. This raises a serious question:

Why are patients in one community allowed access to our services, while another is not?

Throughout this process, we have faced:

Inconsistent application of standards between service areas
Barriers to operating that are not equally applied to all providers
Increased scrutiny and resistance despite continued operation elsewhere in the same system
Decisions that limit access to care without clear, transparent justification
This is not just about an agency.
This is about access to care.

When providers like Lifestar are limited or removed:

Response times can increase
Available ambulances decrease
Patients have fewer options when seconds matter
SAFE exists to bring attention to these issues and advocate for a system where:

Emergency response is based on who can get there fastest
Qualified providers are allowed to serve without unnecessary restriction
Decisions are made in the best interest of patients—not barriers or inconsistencies
We are also committed to direct community outreach, education, and transparency—so the public understands how EMS systems work and how those decisions impact real lives.

This is not about conflict.
This is about fairness, access, and protecting the ability to deliver emergency care.

Because when EMS providers are pushed out,
it’s not the agencies that suffer first—it’s the community.