"It's not true."

That was the response from Southeast Ohio Emergency Medical Services Executive Director Eric Kuhn to a rumor that his entity is going out of business.

Kuhn said SEOEMS employees in Lawrence County have reported that some people are distributing phone stickers with a telephone number on it and are telling residents that the number on the sticker will be the number to call to receive assistance when SEOEMS goes out of business at the end of the year. Kuhn said the people perpetrating the rumor are believed to be connected to a local private ambulance service.

"SEOEMS is the government-provided 911 emergency medical services provider in Lawrence, Athens and Jackson counties," Kuhn said. "Those counties are members of a multi-county, joint emergency medical services district that is responsible for providing advanced life support ambulance service for emergencies. People who need EMS should continue to call 911 and SEOEMS will provide a response."

Lawrence County Commission President Jason Stephens said there is no reason for alarm.

"It's totally not true," he said. "SEOEMS is in very good shape. They provide great service for Lawrence County and there's no plans to cut it, not even the new station in Aid."

Kuhn said such marketing practices only

confuse residents, especially the elderly, and he wants to set the record straight.

Kuhn asked that anyone who hears or receives such information should get the name of the person making the statement and what company that person represents, and then call SEOEMS with that information. Kuhn said those with information should call 643-0546, extension 252. Teresa Moore/The Ironton Tribune