By William J. Kemble
Daily Freeman
KINGSTON, N.Y. 鈥� City Common Council members have set aside $263,000 to cover the cost of a fifth ambulance
The budget transfer was approved during a meeting Tuesday following a discussion a day earlier. The measure is under the stipulation that a state Dormitory Authority grant has been approved as reimbursement.
City-run ambulance service began Jan. 1, 2024, after taking over coverage from private provider Empress EMS. The city now operates two advanced life support units, a basic life ambulance, and one equipped for mental health calls.
The new unit would reduce the chance that all vehicles will be out simultaneously.
鈥淚 think it would be great because the ones that we have picked up 鈥ave been used ambulances and some of them are not as reliable as we would like,鈥� said Alderman Robert Dennison, D- Ward 6.
鈥淚t causes鈥 situation where (Fire Chief Chris Rea ) has to switch out the mental health if one is done,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a juggling act to maintain.鈥�
Officials have reported that response time has been three minutes or less from the city鈥檚 central station on East O鈥橰eilly Street.
鈥淲hen we had a contract for ambulance service, we suffered from response time delay,鈥� Dennison said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have that anymore. They are out a lot and their response time is quick.鈥�
Information on the number of calls handled by the city ambulance system was not immediately available, but officials this week were still relying on estimates of about 400 calls per month given in August 2024.
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