Bryan Gibson of Shoals Ambulance Sues Former Colleague

This press release was recently sent to us:

Priority Ambulance and its CEO Bryan Gibson filed suit today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina against Gary Poirier, a former employee of FirstMed, a company Bryan Gibson led briefly in 2013.

According to the lawsuit, Poirier is engaged in a smear campaign targeted against Gibson relating to Gibson’s tenure at FirstMed. The smear campaign appears intended to malign Gibson’s character, but it is also threatens harm to Priority Ambulance’s growing business, according to the lawsuit.

Gibson served as the CEO of FirstMed for less than four months in 2013. With a team of experienced managers, Gibson tried to reverse FirstMed’s severe financial problems. Despite the efforts of Gibson and his team, FirstMed was forced to file for bankruptcy protection at the end of 2013. No FirstMed assets were retained by Gibson or his companies.

Gibson looks forward to vindicating his rights in the pending lawsuit and, if required, to take appropriate legal action against others engaged in similar misconduct. “We will continue to actively monitor websites, blogs and social media and will take appropriate action when we find defamatory and libelous comments,” Gibson said. “The statements about me are outrageous and false. With this lawsuit, I want to set the record straight and stop the illegal conduct.”

About Priority Ambulance

Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Priority Ambulance provides the highest level of clinical excellence in emergency and nonemergency medical care to the communities it serves. Throughout its national service area, more than 300 highly trained paramedics, EMTs and telecommunicators staff state-of-the-art ambulances with the latest medical equipment and technology. 

Shoalanda

Bryan Gibson Moves Up?

Below is a press release concerning Bryan Gibson, owner of Shoals Ambulance Service (Thanks to a faithful reader):

NEW YORK, July 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Enhanced Equity Funds ("EEF"), a leading healthcare services private equity firm, today announced it has entered into a partnership with Bryan Gibson to lead FirstMed EMS, LLC ("FirstMed") as its Chief Executive Officer.  FirstMed, headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, will be a platform for continued growth in the ambulance market and currently conducts over 500,000 medical transports in Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southern regions.

Throughout Mr. Gibson's impressive 25 year career, he has developed extensive experience within the emergency medical response industry.   He spent over 14 years with Rural/Metro Corporation ("Rural/Metro") where he rose to Chief Operating Officer after initially joining the company in 1997 when it purchased Memphis-based Priority Emergency Medical Services which he co-founded.   As COO, Mr. Gibson commanded operations over Rural/Metro's company-wide geographic footprint which included four hundred communities in twenty-six states with over 8,000 employees.  Subsequent to his departure from Rural/Metro in 2011, Mr. Gibson founded Shoals Ambulance, Inc. where he will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer.

"I'm very pleased to be joining the EEF family," said Mr. Gibson.  "EEF's proficiency in healthcare services, finance and acquisitions will allow our FirstMed team of ambulance industry professionals to take advantage of the many exciting opportunities in the current medical transportation industry space."

Under Mr. Gibson's leadership, FirstMed will continue to acquire ambulance companies and launch organic expansion efforts on a national basis while delivering superior patient and customer service.  EEF will support the FirstMed growth strategy with additional equity capital and acquisition expertise.

"Bryan has a tremendous track record and we are thrilled to partner with an executive of his caliber," said Andrew M. Paul, EEF's Founder and Managing Principal.  "We believe Bryan has a powerful combination of industry and operational expertise that will build FirstMed into a market leader."

"FirstMed is uniquely positioned to capitalize on changing dynamics in the ambulance industry," added Samarth Chandra, a Principal at EEF. "We see a number of compelling opportunities in the marketplace and will be swift in executing on them."

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Interestingly, yesterday a reader contacted us about a situation in Florence. The reader mainly wanted information into an event, which we didn't have, but we hope some readers may be able to answer the gentleman's question.

It seems a police car and two ambulances were observed in a downtown neighborhood. The reader had feared a shooting or some other crime of violence; however, we have not heard of any. Our question concerns the need for two ambulances? We obviously don't know the situation, but are interested in the rationale.

Comments always welcome...

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Friday: Colbert Animal Control Board meeting at 10:00 a.m. at Muscle Shoals City Hall/Sentencing for Hershel Graham in Franklin County at 1:00 p.m. 



Shoalanda

Florence Depot/Bryan Gibson

If the Sweetwater/East Florence area is ever to live up to its name of Arts & Entertainment District, such eyesores as the old train depot will have to be renovated. This building is only three to four minutes from downtown Florence, and the reader who sent us the photo suggested it would be perfect for a casual eatery dubbed "The Whistlestop."

Thanks to Mary Carton for the photo and the idea. Mary is in the forefront to preserve historic buildings in her hometown of Tuscumbia.

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We've received a few questions about Bryan Gibson, owner of the new Shoals Ambulance Company. Mr. Gibson has been involved with several emergency service companies over the years, and those who have communicated with us have specifically asked about his connection to Rural/Metro Ambulance.

Obviously, we don't have a day to day biography of Mr. Gibson, but we can say that we have found no connection with Mr. Gibson and an Alabama lawsuit alleging Medicaid fraud. The suit was initiated in 2009, at which time Mr. Gibson was employed in Arizona by the Southwest division of the company. Here's a short bio:

Mr. Gibson has more than 20 years of experience in the ambulance and fire protection industry, having begun his career as a paramedic for the Memphis Fire Department. Mr. Gibson joined Rural/Metro in 1997 following the acquisition of his company, Priority EMS, as Division General Manager of the mid-South market. Mr. Gibson was promoted in 1998 to Director of Business Development for the Company's South Emergency Services segment. He served from 2001 to 2005 as Division General Manager for EMS operations in West Tennessee, Alabama and Northwest Florida, as well as the Company's national specialty fire protection division. In 2005, he was promoted to Group President of the South segment, and in 2008, he was given additional responsibility as President of the Southwest segment. In April 2010, Mr. Gibson's responsibilities were expanded to include oversight on an interim basis of all operating segments nationwide.

If anyone has any information concerning alleged wrongdoing by Mr. Gibson, please send us the info or link and we will be happy to publish it.



Shoalanda

More Charges in Dylan Milam Murder?

Dylan Milam

Sources close to the investigation into 13 year-old Dylan Wayne Milam's murder say more charges are possible. A family member of the 13 year-old shooter reportedly gave information on the youth's behalf that has been proved false. If Colbert County does charge the family member, it will likely be for hindering prosecution, but a former Colbert law enforcement official has stated the family member could also be charged as an accessory after the fact. The case will likely be presented to the next Colbert County grand jury.

The shooter reportedly lived with his mother and her boyfriend on the outskirts of Leighton. He was a student at Colbert County High School and would have entered the 8th grade next autumn. As reported earlier, this young man was no stranger to law enforcement in Colbert County. Do you remember what you were doing at the age of 13, gentle readers? We're going to guess it wasn't plotting or covering up a murder while being abetted by an adult.

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Shoals Ambulance is again in the news. The company is looking into bidding on the Lauderdale County contract, assuming it's put up for bids for the new fiscal year starting September 1st. Commissioners Rhea Fulmer and Fay Parker have publicly stated they see no need for a bid in the first year of a new three-year contract period for Lauderdale EMS, a subsidiary of Keller EMS. Really? How interesting...

We had been told an attorney general's opinion on Shoals Ambulance's initial foray into local service was possible by the start of this week; however, owner Bryan Gibson has yet to hear. We're betting on such an opinion being favorable to Gibson and the City of Muscle Shoals.



Shoalanda