NORWICH – Cooperstown Medical Transport Inc. was unanimously approved Thursday to expand its private ambulance coverage into Chenango County, owner Margaret E. McGown confirmed.
The Susquehanna Regional EMS Council in Binghamton, which oversees EMS squads in Broome, Chenango and Tioga counties, voted 25-0 in favor of granting CMT what’s called a “Certificate of Need” (CON). The certificate will allow the company to operate ambulances locally full-time.
“We are approved,” said Margaret McGown, CMT’s Chief Financial Officer. “Now we can focus on getting everything ready so we can be going twenty-four seven.”
The company plans to begin operating one 24-hour, seven day-a-week ambulance out of Norwich within the next week. McGown said it’s likely a second 16-hour ambulance will be added at a later date. If needed, it also has ambulances in Oneonta and Sidney that will be available for calls in the county.
As a formality, the state Health Department still has to sign-off on the regional council’s ruling. Barring any appeals, that should happen within the next 30 days.
“I don’t foresee that happening,” McGown said, referring to an appeal. “I haven’t heard anything but encouragement.”
The company was issued an emergency CON in November to temporarily cover Chenango after Superior Ambulance stopped taking calls in the area, citing a lack of profitable business. Since then it has taken around 165 calls in Superior’s absence.
“It’s a good thing,” said County Fire Coordinator Matt Beckwith on CMT’s approval Friday. “They’ve been here doing what they can already. Now that it’s permanent, we can start using them more.”
