By Jenna Ebersole
Pocono Record
COOLBAUGH, Pa. — Thornhurst EMS has lost two-thirds of its calls in the last month and plans to submit a letter of intent to close in 90 days, though a representative said Wednesday that it hopes to remain open.
Coolbaugh and Tobyhanna townships voted several weeks ago to switch the primary designation for basic life support calls from Thornhurst to the larger, all-paid Pocono Mountain Regional EMS.
PMREMS officials have said Thornhurst has response issues that are endangering lives. Thornhurst responded to a total of about 300 calls last year.
At the end of March, the Monroe County Control Center began dispatching PMREMS first for both BLS and advanced life support calls.
PMREMS was already first responder for ALS calls, but Thornhurst was previously toned out first for BLS calls in the Arrowhead Lake and Riverside Estates areas.
The change severely impacts Thornhurst’s billing and financial viability.
Thornhurst firefighter Steve MacDonald, who is assisting Thornhurst EMS, said the significant drop in call volume legally necessitates the letter of intent to close. He said EMS providers must give at least 90 days notice before shutting down, and Thornhurst will be forced to close if the situation persists.
“This has nothing to do as a threat whatsoever. This is strictly business to ensure that we are not in violation with our licensure,” he said.
MacDonald said he remains hopeful that shutdown can be averted, and is working with Coolbaugh officials. Representatives also plan to attend a Tobyhanna meeting next week.
“I would find it very hard for it not to be resolved,” he said. “I think the liability issue alone people should be questioning because Thornhurst can get there that much sooner. Why would somebody want to put a service out that is responding on scene seven to eight minutes sooner?”
MacDonald said the control center is also in violation of its own rules by dispatching an EMS that is farther away.
But the center’s director of communications, Gary Hoffman, said that is not the case and cited rules that show municipalities can designate an EMS provider at a greater distance.
Hoffman said Wednesday that he would rather see all companies remain open.
“Any ambulance service closing is not a good thing,” he said.
Coolbaugh supervisors held a public meeting on the issue Monday night, with about 200 attendees, Chairwoman Lynn Kelly said.
Supervisors did not take any action, but Kelly said she expects they will take it up again for a vote in coming weeks.
Thornhurst should not consider shutting down, she said.
“I’m concerned Thornhurst may not be looking at all their options and may not totally be willing to discuss all the concerns,” Kelly said.
Kelly said she also does not want Thornhurst to close.
“I don’t want them to have to shut down,” she said. “I hope they’re not jumping to the conclusion that they have to do that, and I certainly hope they’re not using it as a tool to force movement faster.”
PMREMS Business Manager Austin Grammes said the company will make a statement in coming weeks to explain its point of view.
“We’re not out there to put a company out of business,” he said. “That is not our function. Our function is to provide quality service to the people.”