Granite City Fire Chief Warns of Longer Ambulance Transports

Fire Chief Todd Richey says out-of-town hospital transports could keep ambulances away longer, as officials coordinate with regional partners to maintain emergency coverage.

Nov 11, 2026 7:56 AM Nov 11, 2026 8:48 AM

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GRANITE CITY — Staffing limitations at Gateway Regional Medical Center’s emergency department have halted its acceptance of patients transported by ambulance since Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, potentially increasing wait times for emergency services, Granite City Fire Chief Todd Richey said.

The emergency department is on diversion status and will remain so for the foreseeable future, Richey said. The status applies to patients transported by Granite City’s ambulance service and all other emergency medical services.

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This was Fire Chief Richey's full statement:

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"The Gateway Regional Medical Center Emergency Department is currently on diversion status due to staffing limitations. Gateway ER has been on diversion status since Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, and will continue to be on diversion for the foreseeable future. This diversion status means that Gateway is not taking any patients transported by our ambulance service or by any other EMS service. This may cause a potential longer wait times for EMS service due to all our ambulances having to leave town for transport of all patients to the nearest appropriate treatment facilities. This may result in longer transport times/distances and a temporarily reduced availability of emergency units within our community.

"Please continue to call 911 for life-threatening emergencies and follow the dispatcher's instructions. Our fire and ambulance service is coordinating with regional partners to maintain ongoing emergency coverage. I assure you all that the Granite City Fire Department will do everything within our power to continue to deliver the highest level of emergency services we are able to provide. We will certainly share updates as conditions change."

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