Saying it was a life and death situation, officials with the Limestone County Kidney Association pleaded with the Limestone County Commission Monday to take over a service to transport patients to and from the kidney dialysis center.

Athens-Limestone Kidney Association President Janice Moore said due to liability, the 10 volunteers driving the bus to the center have quit as of Jan. 1.

“We have a dozen or so patients who go to the center across from Athens-Limestone Hospital. Some have no other way to get there. It’s like a life-or-death situation,” said Jerry Hill, a member of the state Silver Haired Legislature.

Limestone County Commission Chairman David Seibert told the crowd of seniors and those representing them that commissioners are in the process of taking care of the problem.

“I understand it’s a critical need and I promise you it will be taken care of,” Seibert said. “I’m working diligently on it.”

Seibert said the commission and Athens City Council would put a plan together. He said they are attempting to find a health care authority, probably Athens-Limestone Hospital, to run the system.

He said he hopes to have that operating within a month.

“We have the bus and money, we’ve just got to get someone willing to run it,” Seibert said. “We want to make sure the drivers are trained and qualified. We think it’s a health-care issue. We’re not willing to jump into something with untrained drivers.”

Moore said the practice of taking patients to kidney dialysis has existed here since 1971. She said when the drivers stopped on Jan. 1, patients were left to find their own way to the center. Many are unable to do that.

“We are willing to donate our bus and we’re asking if this can’t be expanded to the Limestone Council on Aging,” she asked. “If we can get people to the grocery store, why can’t we get them to the dialysis center?”

Seibert said commissioners would soon meet with local health-care officials to discuss the matter.

“It’s a question of competent, trained people, and we think the health-care authority might be best,” he said. “We think it’s a health-care issue and not for the Council on Aging.”