By Laura French
ROTTERDAM, N.Y. — A New York EMS that was awarded a $125,000 grant to buy a new ambulance in 2014 will receive the funds after years of paperwork and a state audit.
Rotterdam EMS Director Dean Romero said he expects the service will receive the money from the state within 30 to 60 days after their paperwork was finally approved, according to WNYT.
Much of the wait was due to the agency needing to raise $10,000 to pay for the state audit. Romero said they spent years fundraising, and that the process was further delayed when their paperwork expired and had to be redone.
Romero said two of Rotterdam EMS’ ambulances recently broke down, and only one could be repaired, meaning the funds will arrive just in time.
New York Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, chairman of the state Legislative Committee on Rural Resources, said the state should be doing more for rural ambulance services, and noted that 26 rural New York ambulance services have shut down over the last year.