Copyright 2006 Post-Standard
All Rights Reserved.
By PEDRO RAMIREZ III
The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York)
The first of three meetings is tonight to address the possible end of the Plainville Fire Company’s ambulance service.
The first meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at the fire station, was organized by the volunteer fire company as a last-ditch effort to recruit members for its understaffed ambulance service.
“If we can’t get new membership willing to run the ambulance, then the fire company will have to concentrate on providing first-responder service and rely on other agencies to provide (ambulance) transport,” said Edward Healy, company president and the EMS captain.
Healy said declining membership has taken its toll on the ambulance service. In recent years, the ambulance service was forced to surrender its Advanced Life Support certification because its last paramedic retired.
Only one new member has joined the service in the past two years, Healy added.
Matthew Porpilia, chairman of the board of fire commissioners, echoed Healy’s conclusion that the ambulance service cannot continue without new members.
“If there isn’t sufficient participation ... then it may be best we turn the service over to an agency that can provide a more stable response,” Porpilia said.
The Plainville company has agreements with Greater Baldwinsville Ambulance Corps and Jordan Ambulance to respond to calls if Plainville is not able to, he said.
At this week’s series of informational meetings, fire officials hope to recruit members as well as discuss how the company can improve its staffing problem.
The first two meetings are at 7 p.m. today and Wednesday. The next meeting is at 10 a.m. Saturday. All the meetings are at the Plainville fire station, 767 W. Genesee Road, just west of Plainville Road.