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| May 07, 2025 |
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Letters to the Editor: Patient Care Comes First at Ambulance Corps
December 03, 2009
To the Editor:
The New Windsor Volunteer Ambulance Corps' main objective has been and will always be to provide the highest level of care. On January 1st of this year NWVAC became the 2nd ambulance service in Orange County to provide Advanced Life Support Services. NWVAC has 14 Paramedics that are certified to work in New York State and anywhere in the Hudson Valley Region.
On occasion, our paramedics have been dispatched to respond to geographically adjacent municipalities to assist in the patient care of critically sick or injured people. We are obligated to respond to all requests for assistance per the Orange County mutual aid agreement. NWVAC has never and will not ever deny a critically ill patient a lifesaving paramedic unit when dispatched, if one is available.
In recent weeks rumors have circulated that NWVAC is the center of a Department of Health investigation. This investigation has nothing to do with patient care or the certifications or ability of our staff or administration. It is purely based on instances in which we have been requested to respond and assist as the closest paramedic unit. Some commercial EMS agencies have argued that only the ambulance services with operating authority may respond to these towns, no matter if our paramedics are miles closer.
The Department of Health Bureau of EMS notified NWVAC in a letter dated 11/12/09 that NWVAC is to “cease and desist “responding outside our primary operating area. NWVAC, with the support from the Town of New Windsor, went to Orange County Surrogate Court and requested that this order be overturned. The judge heard our concern and agreed that the order to “cease and desist” was not valid; the Court ordered that certain language be stricken from the DOH letter. The Department of Health has also agreed stating that the original letter advising us to “cease and desist” was “mischaracterized.”
NWVAC has an impeccable response record and has over 70 dedicated staff members that are highly trained. We are a not for-profit ambulance that will always work to ensure that the patient comes first, not profits. We have support from surrounding ambulance services to continue to fight for the best care possible. If someone calls us for help, we will respond.
If anyone has any questions please feel free to contact our office at 845-563-3114 or email us at [email protected]
Sincerely,
Beth Nolcox
Chairperson of the Board
EMT-1
Comments:
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Thank you Ms. Nolcox for providing us with a NWVAC viewpoint of this issue.
I applaud NWVAC and COVAC members for their ongoing service to our community.
posted by J Klein on 12/03/09 at 9:37 AM
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