Queensbury (NY) Encouraged to Make Changes to EMS

Kathleen Moore The Post-Star, Glens Falls, N.Y. (MCT) Dec. 17—QUEENSBURY — A long-awaited study of the town’s complex, three-agency emergency medical system has strongly advised the Town Board to merge all three agencies into one. But the three agencies, which met with the Town Board on Monday on the issue, were unenthusiastic. West Glens Falls and Bay Ridge EMS leaders said they were considering an adjustment to the boundary lines of their districts to equalize the number of calls each agency gets. That was an alternative offered in the study. North Queensbury EMS officials said they do not want to merge. The conversation revealed the fractures between North Queensbury and Bay Ridge EMS, as members of both groups began to argue over standby calls. Geographically, Bay Ridge essentially handles the middle of the town, so it shares borders with the other two agencies. When Bay Ridge’s ambulances are busy at calls, North Queensbury EMS is asked to move its ambulance to the Bay Ridge line so it can get to midtown calls more quickly. That’s a standby call. The ambulance parks at a central spot and stands by for any emergency. North Queensbury’s members don’t want to do that. “When you do that, we’re abandoning North Queensbury,” said North Queensbury EMS treasurer John Hodgkins. “That doesn’t make any sense. Who’s taking care of our area? Who’s protecting North Queensbury?&...
Source: JEMS Special Topics - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: News News Feed Operations EMS New York Source Type: news