Tompkins County committee approves EMS certificate‑of‑need application, adopts county emergency management plan
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Summary
The Tompkins County Public Safety Committee unanimously authorized applying for a countywide EMS certificate of need and adopted a countywide Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, moving the county toward coordinated emergency response and town‑level annex development.
The Tompkins County Public Safety Committee on March 24 unanimously authorized applying for a countywide municipal certificate of need (CON) for emergency medical services and adopted the county’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP).
Mike (first name only), a Department of Emergency Response representative, told the committee that applying for the CON is a strategic step that prepares the county for several possible directions for EMS and that the CON process can take several months. "If we choose not to pursue growth of our EMS program, then it will simply expire in two years," he said.
On the CEMP, Mike described phase 1 as complete and said phase 2 will add town‑level annexes so every township can leverage a county plan with local specifics. The county worked with consulting firm Tetra Tech to hold community meetings and to develop the annex process. Committee members asked whether townships have been contacted; Mike said two of three scheduled community meetings had occurred and that townships already have annex drafts.
Rachel (committee member) and other members raised logistics and timing questions; the motions to authorize the CON (ID 13970) and to adopt the CEMP (ID 13966) were moved, seconded and approved unanimously.
The actions position Tompkins County to formalize EMS coordination (including measuring response times and meeting a midyear mandated EMS plan deadline) and to provide a countywide disaster‑response plan with township‑level annexes. Officials said the CON and CEMP work could take several months and will require additional follow‑up with towns and community stakeholders.
Next steps include forming the EMS working group (first meeting expected in May), measuring acceptable county response times, finishing the mandated EMS plan due midyear and proceeding with the CON application process.
