Some reworking of staffing and procedures is allowing the Chenango Volunteer Ambulance Service to resume operations.

The squad informed Broome County September 30th it had closed its doors and suspended emergency operations due to an inability to pay its insurance bill.

The service resumes following restructuring, downsizing and changes to key management positions.

Jeff Allen of Chenango Ambulance says financial experts didn’t realize the impact the national health care scene would have on local Emergency Medical Services until early in 2014.  He says when the realization sunk in, Chenango Ambulance was already finishing construction of a new station and had bought a new replacement ambulance for one that had been involved in an accident.

Allen says in addition, the Town was looking to reduce taxes and the Ambulance Service thought it could absorb that change with payments from Medicaid and Medicare, but miscalculated.

The service is looking for donations and volunteers.  Residents can contact the squad at chenangoambulance@gmail.com or their facebook page.

The business phone for the service is (607) 204-0251.

Chenango Ambulance has served the Town of Chenango and surrounding communities since 1976.

 

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