Escambia County commissioners voted to send $17,968,811.56 in unpaid EMS bills to collections. The unpaid debt, which accumulated over several years, represents charges for ambulance transports provided by Escambia County Emergency Medical Services.

Roughly 71 percent of the total amount—about $12.75 million—is classified as “self-pay” debt, meaning it involves patients without insurance coverage. The remaining balance comes from partially paid or uncollectible accounts. Officials said the outstanding debts vary significantly in size. One patient owes more than $40,000, while three others together owe nearly $13,000. Another nine patients owe a combined $218,000, and 39 more owe more than $509,000. The county estimates the average cost of each ambulance transport to be around $1,000.

Escambia County EMS officials noted that a significant portion of the debt comes from frequent 911 users, often referred to as “frequent flyers.” One individual reportedly called 911 a total of 122 times in a single month.

Escambia County EMS Chief Chris Watts was quoted by the Pensacola News Journal as follows:

• I’m never going to discourage somebody from calling 911, especially if you’re not sure, by all means, call.
• We will come out 100% every time.
• What we need people to stop doing is calling because ‘I have the flu. I have a fever and I’m throwing up.’
• If you have a cold or you have the flu or have food poisoning, minor scrapes and wounds, or sprained ankles, these aren’t things that necessarily warrant an ambulance or you to be going to the emergency department.

Chief Watts also emphasized that calling for an ambulance does not necessarily result in faster treatment. Dispatchers triage calls to prioritize patients in the greatest need. The county reminded residents that 911 should be reserved for serious medical emergencies such as chest pain, heavy bleeding, or difficulty breathing.

Escambia County’s action underscores a challenge faced by many local governments: balancing the financial realities of EMS operations with the obligation to respond to every emergency call, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.