Superior cites economy as reason for cutback
NORWICH – Tuesday morning, Superior Ambulance announced it would be significantly downsizing its Norwich operation due to the current business climate – a move that local fire officials say will jam-up municipal departments with a bulk of added calls.
“Superior Ambulance has been providing emergency medical service to Chenango County for the past 11 years and we remain committed to continuing this service at an adjusted level,” states a Jan. 24 press release from Superior. “Unfortunately, because of the current business climate in Chenango County, and specifically in the City of Norwich, we cannot continue to base three EMS vehicles at Norwich Ambulance headquarters.”
Effective Thursday, Superior will scale back from three emergency vehicles to one 24-hour, seven day-a-week ambulance to cover the county.
Departments in Bainbridge, New Berlin, McDonough, Pharsalia and Smyrna are several that do not offer their own EMS service, or depend heavily on Superior to be their primary provider, local officials said.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matt Beckwith said that EMS crews like those from Greene, the City of Norwich, Sherburne, South Otselic and Oxford will most likely have to pick up the slack in the wake of Superior’s cutback.
Superior said the company has met with local and state officials over the past several months to discuss these issues.
“During the past six months we have, on numerous occasions, met with Chenango County, Norwich, and state officials to communicate the details of our business concerns,” states Superior, claiming that they met with Beckwith on two occasions in August and explained the issues. “We informed him in detail about the need for the county to prepare for the possibility of staffing reductions for Superior Ambulance Norwich.”
Beckwith acknowledged meeting with the company and discussing staff reductions, but not to the effect that was divulged Tuesday, with two-thirds of the operation being removed to Binghamton.
“This is a big step-up in reductions at this time,” Beckwith said. “We just were not expecting it to this degree.”
Beckwith said the county is already working with state and other local officials to quickly come up with options, which could include seeking out additional private EMS providers to locate to Chenango County.
Superior added that “we are committed to continue our existing discussions with Chenango County officials to help address the complex issues that challenge emergency medical service providers in the rural communities of New York state.”
“Superior Ambulance has been providing emergency medical service to Chenango County for the past 11 years and we remain committed to continuing this service at an adjusted level,” states a Jan. 24 press release from Superior. “Unfortunately, because of the current business climate in Chenango County, and specifically in the City of Norwich, we cannot continue to base three EMS vehicles at Norwich Ambulance headquarters.”
Effective Thursday, Superior will scale back from three emergency vehicles to one 24-hour, seven day-a-week ambulance to cover the county.
Departments in Bainbridge, New Berlin, McDonough, Pharsalia and Smyrna are several that do not offer their own EMS service, or depend heavily on Superior to be their primary provider, local officials said.
Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matt Beckwith said that EMS crews like those from Greene, the City of Norwich, Sherburne, South Otselic and Oxford will most likely have to pick up the slack in the wake of Superior’s cutback.
Superior said the company has met with local and state officials over the past several months to discuss these issues.
“During the past six months we have, on numerous occasions, met with Chenango County, Norwich, and state officials to communicate the details of our business concerns,” states Superior, claiming that they met with Beckwith on two occasions in August and explained the issues. “We informed him in detail about the need for the county to prepare for the possibility of staffing reductions for Superior Ambulance Norwich.”
Beckwith acknowledged meeting with the company and discussing staff reductions, but not to the effect that was divulged Tuesday, with two-thirds of the operation being removed to Binghamton.
“This is a big step-up in reductions at this time,” Beckwith said. “We just were not expecting it to this degree.”
Beckwith said the county is already working with state and other local officials to quickly come up with options, which could include seeking out additional private EMS providers to locate to Chenango County.
Superior added that “we are committed to continue our existing discussions with Chenango County officials to help address the complex issues that challenge emergency medical service providers in the rural communities of New York state.”
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