As of next week ambulance calls to COCVAC will come from Clark Mills.
Thomas Meyers, Chief of EMS for Central Oneida County Volunteer Ambulance Corp, sent out the following information Thursday afternoon:
“Central Oneida County Volunteer Ambulance to consolidate resources in the southern district.
In 2016, Central Oneida County Volunteer Ambulance (COCVAC) became the primary ambulance service provider for the Waterville-Oriskany Falls area. Since that time, COCVAC has maintained an ambulance resource in the Waterville- Oriskany Falls area at no cost to the towns/villages.
The cost of readiness for this resource has fallen directly on COCVAC. Since the pandemic, COCVAC’s cost to operate has skyrocketed.
Often communities’ associate EMS ambulance services as an essential public service. Unfortunately New York State does not deem EMS as essential.
Therefore, there is no sustainable funding available for EMS.
Although ambulance services bill third party insurance carriers for services, the reimbursement is much lower than industry standards. This mechanism of funding also does not address the cost of readiness to maintain a staffed ambulance ready to respond to a call for service.
After an extensive review of the costs associated with the deployment of ambulance resources, the most cost effective and prudent strategic direction for COCVAC is to consolidate in a central location and deploy the ambulance when a call for service is received.
As difficult of a decision this has been, we have determined that it will allow for continued service to our community and will result in a more financially nimble corporation.
Although the ambulance will be re-located to our main headquarters in Clinton, COCVAC will continue to hold the CON and respond to 911 requests for service in your…
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