Greene County without ambulance service due to 'critical lack of funding'

Greene County’s 7,700 residents are without emergency medical services.

Greene County Emergency Medical Services announced in a social media post on July 4 that the agency “has been forced to temporarily cease all operational services” due to “a critical lack of funding.”

Lack of funding has “has made it impossible to maintain our ambulances and equipment to mandatory state compliance and safety standards,” the statement said. “Operating units below these legal standards compromises both patient care and provider safety — a risk GCEMS cannot and will not take.”

“Mutual aid from surrounding areas has been notified, but citizens should expect significantly delayed response times for medical emergencies due to the travel distances required for outside agencies to reach our communities,” according to the statement.

The statement advises Greene County residents that they should continue to dial 911 for “immediate life-threatening emergencies,” but they must “remain aware of the current strain on area resources.”

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On July 5, the agency said it was able to put into service what it called a “quick response vehicle” to combat long response times.

According to GCEMS, the agency made 210 runs from May 1 to June 24.

“Our administrative team is working desperately around the clock to find an immediate resolution and secure the necessary resources to get our trucks back on the road,” the statement said. “However, a permanent return to service is completely impossible without a sustainable, adequate funding structure.”

GCEMS urged “local leaders and community stakeholders to join us in finding an immediate solution to restore this vital public safety lifeline.”