I have received some correspondence from village officials asking theGreenburgh Town Board to increase the budget by offering m
utual aid EMS ambulances on a town-wide basis. Some of the local ambulance corps are struggling, having difficult times quickly responding to calls for medical assistance while others are managing to get by, but one thing village officials who wrote to me can agree on is that having additional EMS support can only improve the service response town-wide. The village officials who contacted me believe that the town is in the best position to deliver the service in a cost effective manner. The town has two budgets (A -village and unincorporated and B budget only unincorporated. This would be an A budget item).
The volunteer ambulance corps serving the villages include volunteers who work very hard - responding to calls at all hours of the day and evening. They are real heroes who give their time, save lives, don't get paid and don't get much public thanks. Most people who are assisted by the volunteers probably don't realize that the dedicated corp members aren't getting paid for their service. Villages depend on volunteers to provide ambulance services to residents who call with medical problems. In recent years it's become harder and harder to attract and keep volunteers. If the Town Board implements this suggestion - we will have to increase our budget -hire additional staff and purchase more ambulances This will have an impact on the 2021 budget. And, could have an even greater impact on future budgets if staffing needs to be increased. We are not being asked to replace the Volunteer Ambulance Corp's --only to back them up if they are not able to quickly respond to an emergency. Not all the volunteer ambulance corps are having problems -but some are.
The Town Board has invited village officials and ambulance Corp leaders to meet with the Town Board this Tuesday at 6 PM. Our meeting will be held via zoom and will be broadcast on public access and streamed live on the internet.
ADVANTAGES TO THE PROPOSAL--- If you have a medical emergency (hopefully you won't) response time will be quicker. Lives could be saved
DISADVANTAGES- MORE STAFF, MORE AMBULANCES MEANS MORE TAXES
FROM THE TOWN Police WEBSITE ABOUT EMS
The Greenburgh Police Department is unique in that it is one of the few police agencies to supply emergency medical services as well law enforcement services to its constituents. The department has been providing medical treatment/transport since the early 1950s.
Level 4 Paramedic Care
In 1980, the department sent its first officers to paramedic school at Jacobi Hospital located in the Bronx, New York. With their successful completion of the program, the Greenburgh Police Department became the first service in Westchester County to provide level 4 Paramedic care to its community.
Incorporated Villages
On March 14, 1997, the Greenburgh Police Department expanded their ALS service into the six incorporated villages:
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor
