Town of Tonawanda Halts Ambulance Service Plans, New Deal Announced

UPDATE: The Town of Tonawanda has just announced a major shift in its emergency services strategy, scaling back plans for its own ambulance service. On Monday, officials confirmed a new two-year contract with Twin City Ambulance, the current provider, after recognizing the complexities involved in launching an independent service.

Town Supervisor Joe Emminger admitted the initial timeline for starting an in-house service was overly optimistic. “I originally thought it’d be the beginning part of 2025, then it became the middle of 2025, and then I just said sometime in 2025,” Emminger stated. He stressed that numerous regulatory hurdles complicated the plan, with approvals taking longer than expected.

Initially, the town aimed to hire 20 EMTs for its proposed service, but Emminger revealed that they did not receive enough applications to fill those positions. Under the new agreement, Twin City Ambulance will continue providing around-the-clock service while the town operates one of its own ambulances, staffed with just four EMTs.

Emminger confirmed that the town had purchased three ambulances and secured an additional one. However, only two will remain in operation, as the town plans to sell or lease the others by the end of the year. This decision alleviates financial concerns for taxpayers, with Emminger emphasizing, “This will not put any financial burden on taxpayers.”

“This isn’t the plan I had envisioned last October, but I think it’s a plan that really does serve the town of Tonawanda,” Emminger remarked. “We are certainly grateful to Twin City for the discussions that we’ve had.”

The new agreement is set to last until October 2027, with hopes to have the four EMTs operational by the end of this year. Residents of Tonawanda can expect continued emergency services without interruption, as the town navigates this revised approach to public safety.

This developing story highlights the ongoing challenges local governments face in providing essential services, and the adjustments made in response to community needs. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving situation.