By Lohr McKinstry
The Press-Republican
WESTPORT, N.Y. — An ad hoc Westport Fire District EMS Committee is preparing to review options for future emergency medical care in the Town of Westport .
The Essex County Board of Supervisors has proposed an EMS Stabilization Plan, in which towns like Westport would receive incentive-based funding to provide emergency medical services.
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The formula would use 2-to-1 funding, so for every $2 Westport spends on EMS it would be reimbursed $1 up to $100,000. An extra incentive is that up to $25,000 a year would be paid to agencies that provide 24-hour Advanced Life Support coverage. Funding would come from a new county tax on short-term rentals like AirBnBs that takes effect Jan. 1, 2026 .
At a special meeting Monday night, Westport Town Supervisor Michael “Ike” Tyler said the county would contract with towns that accept the proposal and the ad hoc committee can recommend to the Westport Town Council which option it supports.
Other options would be to contract with an outside agency or town for ambulance services.
“This probably the most important topic in our town right now,” Tyler said.
Essex County EMS Coordinator Jody Whitney told the 15 people at the meeting that the county has logistical issues with running the EMS program that now provides in-station EMT-B coverage in some towns.
“The county wants to get away from staffing and the issues that have been going on with that,” he said. “They want to pass the money down to you guys. If you can do your own thing that’s what the county wants you to do.”
The state is also offering $1.8 million to $2 million for the program.
Tyler said he most likely support the county taking the money and distributing it to the towns for EMS.
Essex County EMS Senior Account Clerk Randi Swires said the county EMS Stabilization program still has to be created.
“This has not been voted on by the Board of Supervisors yet,” she said. “They could decide not to do it.”
“It’s a work in progress,” Whitney said. “There are still a lot of questions.”
The Westport Fire District now funds an EMS program that has one full-time and one part-time employee for ambulance calls.
Essex County currently provides paramedic-staffed fly-cars that go to calls to stabilize patients. The county plans to expand that coverage to 24/7 with two fly-cars on duty at all times. Eight paramedics would be on staff, double the four now on the payroll.
A state grant is currently used to fund the medic car program.
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