The COVID pandemic has impacted all health care providers, including paramedic and ambulance services.

Now it's raising real concerns in some communities.

The Mayor of Hubbard, Ben Kyle, says residents and law enforcement have expressed concern over its contracted ambulance service Life Fleet not being able to answer all calls.

"LIFE FLEET HAD HAD TO TRANSPORT COIVD POSITIVE CASES AND THEN THEY'VE HAD TO TAKE THE AMBULANCE DOWN AND HAVE IT SANITIZED BEFORE THEY COULD TAKE ANOTHER RUN ON."

In those cases, Brookfield and Liberty are the back-ups for Hubbard, but the Mayor says it occurring too frequently.

"UNFORTUNATELY. OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF INSTANCES THAT HAVE BECOME ALARMING WHEN THERE HAS BEEN AN INABILITY TO RESPOND OR DELAYED RESPONSE TIME."

In one case, Brookfield and Liberty were already busy on other calls.

"THEN TRUMBULL COUNTY 9-1-1 STARTED GOING DOWN THE LIST TO TRY TO FIND AN AMBULANCE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND HERE IN THE CITY."

It was 42 minutes before an ambulance arrived, and the Mayor says that is not acceptable, and he has been in contact with the owner of Life Fleet.

"HE GAVE AN EXPLANATION ON A COUPLE OF THEM AND HE'S ALSO DOING RESEARCH ON THE EXACT INSTANCE WHERE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE."

The area's largest ambulance service, Life Trans, says hospital transports have increased during the pandemic and they disinfect after every run.

Judy Hartley with Life Trans said, "WE CONSIDER EVERY PATIENT A POTENTIAL POSITIVE SO IT'S NOT A DIFFERENT LEVEL THEY DISINFECT THE SAME WAY EACH TIME."

21 News' calls to Life Fleet about the Hubbard situation were not returned.