Local leaders respond to ambulance shortage

CHENANGO COUNTY – Following an announcement that the only private ambulance service in the area is pulling out for good – nearly a year after the company told area leaders it was struggling to stay in business – a solution to the county’s emergency services shortage, whatever it is, needs to come fast, several local leaders said Friday.

Superior Ambulance, a private Binghamton-based EMS squad that handled a significant amount of 911 and transport calls in several townships, announced last week that as of Oct. 25 it would no longer be doing business in Chenango County, with the exception of occasional transports.

In January, Superior cut back its service from three ambulances to one due to a lack of profitable business, company representatives said. It previously covered a bulk of the calls in several outlying districts, including Bainbridge, New Berlin, McDonough, Pharsalia and Smyrna. Fire officials say the City of Norwich EMS squad has taken up the majority of calls in the northern half of the county since.

“Do I know the answer? No, not yet,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard Decker. “There is a sense of urgency, and we are looking at a few ways we can assist.”

Decker said he couldn’t discuss what some of those options were specifically, but said finding a company to replace Superior was one of them.

County Fire Coordinator Matt Beckwith has met with several other private providers in the last 10 months, he said, and believes the likelihood that one will locate here isn’t very high.

Decker said implementing a county-funded service was also a possibility.

“A lot would have to fall into place,” Decker said, referring to legislative process that would have to be undertaken to form a county-wide service. “The county has never really had anything to do with emergency services as far as ambulance. But I also understand that there is an immense problem coming as far as getting EMS to the towns and villages.”

Decker says he expects a short term solution no sooner than January.

Town of Norwich Supervisor Dave Law thinks the shortage will be an issue for next two to three years.