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Hinsdale board approves formation of regional committee to study ambulance services
Summary
After a presentation on prolonged response times, changing workforce and funding gaps, the Select Board unanimously approved Heather Brown's request to form a committee with neighboring towns to review ambulance-service needs.
HINSDALE — The Hinsdale Select Board voted Feb. 11 to allow the formation of a committee to study future ambulance-service needs after a presentation that emphasized longer response and transport times, funding shortfalls and shifts from volunteer to paid staffing.
Heather Brown presented the board with four main concerns: prolonged emergency response and transport times, insufficient payment models that do not cover standby versus fixed costs, changes in the volunteer workforce versus paid staffing, and federal and state oversight and funding issues. Brown requested the board allow her to assemble a task force; the board suggested the panel include representatives from neighboring towns.
Bart Collins moved to approve Brown’s request to form the committee; Chair Margaret Gregory seconded, and the motion passed by unanimous voice vote. The minutes record that the board expects the committee to coordinate regionally to assess response times, staffing models, and funding options.
Why it matters: Ambulance-service capability affects emergency medical response and can determine whether residents receive timely transport to medical care. The presentation framed the issue as both operational (staffing and transport times) and financial (payment structures and oversight).
What happens next: The board approved formation of the committee and suggested seeking representation from neighboring towns; no timeline or budget for the committee was specified in the minutes.
