By Jacob Seibel
The Citizens’ Voice
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — City council and residents on Monday united in opposition of Mayor Tony George’s plan to make Trans-Med Ambulance the primary backup for ambulance service in the city.
Council Chairman Bill Barrett at the combined work session and regular meeting for council pitched a non-binding resolution to show that council supports keeping a 4½-year-old mutual aid pact with nonprofit ambulance services in neighboring towns instead of using the for-profit ambulance company as primary backup for the entire city.
“If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it,” Councilman Mike Belusko said as the vote went down.
Applause from the crowd, made up of mostly residents and the city’s emergency responders, filled council chambers in city hall as council unanimously passed the resolution. The mayor did not attend the meeting.
Resident Bob Kadluboski said Wilkes-Barre has one of the best paramedic and fire department programs in the area. This new change “reeks of politics,” he said, and ultimately the citizens of Wilkes-Barre will suffer from Trans-Med’s response times.
“What is one life worth?” Kadluboski asked.
Resident Frank Sorick said every second is critical in emergency responses. Like other residents at the council session, he questioned whether Trans-Med would be on point in their responses.
“Certainly we want the same level of protection we’re currently getting now,” Sorick said.
Last week, the mayor defended his decision to make Trans-Med the primary backup for ambulance service in the city, saying the company charges less than competitors in bordering municipalities as well as the city.
Homer Berlew, president of Trans-Med, went before council members Monday and said the mayor asked the company to “propose a plan to enhance the ambulance service in the city.” The contract has not yet been signed, according to Berlew.
Tran-Med proposed providing two dedicated units in the city, according to Berlew, and at no time, did the company’s representatives propose removing the current mutual aid agreement. The city has two ambulances in service and calls for back up when both are busy on calls.
Since October 2011, the city has been part of a mutual aid pact with ambulances in bordering municipalities.
Hanover’s Medic 9 is back up for the southern end of the city, Kingston’s Medic 13 handles Center City, and Plains’ Medic 2 serves the northern part of the city. Trans-Med, based in Luzerne, is primary backup for the Heights, North End, and East End.
In other business, council passed a smoking ordinance prohibiting the use of both tobacco and electronic smoking products at the James F. Conahan Intermodal Transportation Center on South Washington Street.
Council also voted to contract out maintenance for city traffic signals to Northeast Signal and Electric Company Inc. Council also voted in favor of contracting out maintenance for streetlights to Delta Electrical Systems Inc.
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