January 11, 2024 Update on EMS in Webster November 21, 2023: NEQALS attorney sends letter to Town attorney stating $221K must be committed by Town to NEQALS by December 8th or NEQALS may need to issue notice of discontinuance.
December 14, 2023: Motion at Town Board meeting for emergency $60K to NEQALS is not seconded.
December 26, 2023: Several town officials meet with New York State and Monroe County EMS governance officials to discern options for the town should NEQALS no longer be the Town’s outsourced ambulance service in the future.
December 29, 2023: NEQALS submits formal 90-day notice to town of Webster. January 2, 2024: Town submits formal acknowledgement letter to NEQALS on the 90-day notice, including estoppel on NEQALS obtaining any more fuel on credit from the Webster Highway garage until they made the Town whole on their approx. $42,000+ outstanding bill.
January 3, 2024: NEQALS hand delivered a $40,000+ check to the Town for past due fuel bill. As such, there was NO break in NEQALS transport ambulances or fly cars being able to fuel up at the Town Highway Garage
January 4, 2024: Town Board meeting presentation by Penfield Volunteer Ambulance (PVA) on how Mutual Aid works and how many 911 calls for ambulance had come into Webster since NEQALS December 29th, 2023, 90-day notice, and how many of those calls were covered by WEMS-NEQALS and how many needed mutual aid.
January 5, 2024: PVA starts the process to assist the Town of Webster in "expanding" their municipal CON from BLS/BLS transport, to include ALS too in advance of when the 90-day notice period ends in late March 2024.
January 8, 2024: John Cahill- Webster Town Board and liaison to EMS and Tom Flaherty Town Supervisor are guests at the PVA monthly board meeting.
January 9, 2024: Town finds out about a NEQALS internal staff e-mail that NEQALS board is planning to reduce the staffing of BLS/Transport Ambulances to cover Webster as of Saturday January 13th. As of Thursday January 11th, NEQALS board has not communicated this directly to the Town of Webster.
January 10, 2024 Town officials meet for the 2nd time with New York State and Monroe County EMS governance officials
January 11, 2024: Town Board workshop presentation/discussion on EMS and proposed resolution to name PVA primary agency in West Webster affective Saturday January 13th
January 11, 2024 Update on EMS in Webster 911 Ambulance Calls in Webster- December 30-January 11 Total Calls 146 (Approx. 11.2 calls per day) NEQALS/WEMS coverage 124 (85%)
January 13th -March 28th Proposed EMS coverage in Webster: West Webster Fire District: PVA will be primary with WEMS/NEQALS second and Mutual aid thereafter. PVA will have full staffed (EMT and Paramedic) transport Ambulance(s) at the Gravel Road firehouse. Northeast Joint Fire District: WEMS/NEQALS will be primary with mutual aid thereafter. WEMS/NEQALS will have their base of operations on Jackson Road. It is assumed they will utilize full staffed (EMT and Paramedic) transport Ambulance(s) or BLS Transport Ambulance with supplement of a fly car with a Paramedic for ALS calls
Contingency Plan(s) January 13-March 28th: 911 EMS calls will be monitored daily in both West Webster and East Webster to determine current response times and how many are covered by primary and how many are mutual aided. Compass of decision making by the town will continue to focus on what is the best interests of the approx. 330 citizens on average each month who require Ambulance services in the Town of Webster. Town has authority to take emergency measures outside the resolution process of a Town Board meeting should public safety be risked.
March 28, 2024 and beyond: The town board will continue to work with New York State and Monroe County EMS governance along with PVA leadership and other EMS leaders to discern the best short term and long term option(s) for EMS in Webster. Such option(s) need to balance Patient care, EMT/Paramedic working conditions, and fiscal responsibility.