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Glens Falls board hears plan to protect ambulance certificate of need, explore regional transport partnership
Summary
City officials reviewed strained ambulance/transport operations and a proposal to partner with nearby towns so Glens Falls retains its exclusive certificate of need while sharing transports and revenue; the board asked staff to return with details next month.
Glens Falls Board of Public Safety members on Nov. 12 were briefed on growing pressure on ambulance and non-emergency transport services and a staff proposal to preserve the city's exclusive certificate of need by creating a regional transport arrangement with neighboring municipalities.
The board's chair summarized the problem and the proposed approach, saying the city currently holds an exclusive certificate of need for ambulance operations. "We have a certificate of need right now. It's exclusive to the city of Glens Falls," the chair said during the meeting.
Chief Smith told the board that firefighters and paramedics are handling nearly 4,000 calls a year and that EMS-related runs make up the bulk of recent activity. He recommended a stopgap arrangement in which Glens Falls would permit other local ambulance providers (named in discussion as Queensbury, West Glens Falls and Monroe) to perform transports under Glens Falls' certificate of need while billing and revenue would be shared under an agreed formula.
Officials described the proposal as a way to retain the city's certificate of need and to capture a portion of transport revenue without immediately expanding city staffing or equipment. "If we don't work in this direction... other ambulance services will be approved and we won't have the exclusivity that we enjoy today," the chair said.
Board members did not take formal action. The chair asked members to review the proposal and bring questions for Chief Smith at next month's meeting so the board can determine whether to recommend pursuing the arrangement and what, if any, council-level approvals will be needed.
Next steps: staff will prepare more detailed financial and operational information for the board to consider at the following meeting.
