WATERTOWN, N.Y. — A private N.Y. ambulance company says that it is definitely not stealing calls from the city; rather, the residents are not calling 911 and calling the company instead.
General Manager of Guilfoyle Ambulance Dave Sherman told FOX28. “If we’re called, we go. If it’s in our area, we go.”
Squad president David Roof said the Watertown ambulance service has lost about 25 percent of its 2012 calls to Guilfoyle. He claimed the issue is that residents of Watertown are calling Guilfoyle directly in lieu of calling 911.
Roof believes it is unethical for Guilfoyle to respond to those calls.
"…a town of Watertown resident calls us direct and we take the call. It’s legal. If somebody calls and asks for help, we’re going to send them help. That just the way it is,” Sherman said.
Not calling 911 and using the town’s ambulance service may cost Watertown residents more money.
With calls on the decline, the service is not making enough money to cover its costs, consequently making the service charge residents for whatever their insurance does not cover for the call.