County Legislature Adds Their Support For County-Operated Ambulance Service to Assist TLC Ambulance

In a special session held late Thursday afternoon, the Cortland County Legislature unanimously approved a resolution supporting an application for a New York State Local Government Efficiency Grant. If awarded, the funding would be used for planning and evaluating a potential county-operated emergency medical service intended to support TLC Ambulance.

Earlier this week, the Village of Homer also voiced its support for the grant application after receiving information on local EMS call volume and response challenges from Homer Fire Chief Jay Riley. Riley told village officials that TLC Ambulance has increasingly relied on mutual aid from Marathon, Tully, Dryden, and other agencies when it is unable to respond to calls. He added that the county began seeking municipal support after TLC stopped responding to certain fall-related calls one to two years ago. TLC has since resumed responding to those calls.

The county’s resolution specifies that submitting the grant application does not obligate the county to accept any awarded funds, establish a county-operated ambulance service, or implement operational changes without final approval from the Legislature.

Riley has previously said that, if the grant is awarded, the funding could help establish a service that includes an ambulance and a paramedic-staffed fly car. The service would be available countywide and could also assist Marathon and Cincinnatus Ambulance services. Grant funding could last for up to five years, after which the county would need to explore long-term funding options.

Grant applications are due by February 4. Neighboring Tompkins County was previously awarded $629,779 for a similar initiative, which led to the creation of its Rapid Response Program aimed at reducing EMS response times.