NORWICH – It’s unlikely another private emergency service will step in and relieve the strain created by Superior Ambulance’s cut backs in Chenango County, local fire and government officials say, meaning already stretched local departments will have to come up with other ways to cover the added calls.
In January, Superior Ambulance, a Binghamton-based provider, went from having three Chenango ambulances to one in an effort off-set what company and government officials say is a lack of profitable business in the county.
Chenango’s Fire Coordinator Matt Beckwith said the downsize would directly affect outlying volunteer departments that don’t have their own ambulance services and often depend on Superior’s, like Bainbridge, New Berlin, McDonough, Pharsalia and Smyrna. Consequently, the City of Norwich and other squads with expanded services have had to handle increased calls outside their coverage area, a task Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano insists is not a burden, yet.
“We’re helping in a time of need,” said Maiurano. “Hopefully they (other departments) will help us in a time of need.”
Maiurano and Beckwith have met with other fire officials throughout the county and region to brainstorm ways to meet the demand.
“Right now we’re meeting with Sidney and other area EMT’s,” Beckwith said recently. “We have no set solution at this point and time. We’re working with the individual squads.”
A county-run ambulance service is being taken under consideration, Beckwith said.
Maiurano acknowledged that supplying outlying departments with emergency vehicles or satellite mutual aid services is not out of the question, adding that it’s nearly certain another private ambulance will not be locating to the county.
“It’s not profitable,” Maiurano said.
Even if there weren’t a lack of emergency services, there wouldn’t be enough volunteers to administer them – an issue that has been exposed by the Superior shortage.
“We’re continuing to put on classes and attempting to bolster volunteerism,” Beckwith said.
Unable to offer concrete figures, Beckwith said the numbers of active volunteers countywide has “significantly decreased” over the past 15 to 20 years, to the point where several departments, including Bainbridge, New Berlin, McDonough, Pharsalia, and Smyrna, have had to abandon EMS services.
David Finger, director of government relations for the National Volunteer Fire Council, said fire volunteer numbers are down nationwide due to stricter qualification requirements along with job, time and financial constraints.
“Maybe you’re interested in fighting fires and riding in the truck,” said Finger. “But once you find out you have to spend six months training nights and weekends, maybe you’ll think twice about volunteering.”
With people commuting further to work and both adults in a household holding jobs, Finger said its logistically harder for people to answer calls in their communities.
“There is less time to devote to a volunteer fire department,” he said. “If you have to commute 30 minutes to work, you’re not going to be able to respond quickly if you have to drive 30 minutes from where you work to a call and then drive 30 minutes back. Obviously, that’s got to be difficult on an employer.”
Maiurano said he plans to meet with local employers to discuss what official leeway volunteers will have in answering calls during work time.
Nationwide, Finger contends volunteer departments save taxpayers $3.7 billion annually. He said providing financial incentives, such as water bill reductions or tax credits, could go along way in securing more fire fighters for services.
Leadership could make a difference, too.
“If you have quality leadership,” said Finger, “you’re going to have people that want to be a part of it.”
The fire council claims volunteers make-up two-thirds of the estimated 1.2 million fire fighters nationwide, however, those numbers have decreased 10 percent in the last 20 years.