Town of Tonawanda Scales Back Ambulance Service Plans, Contracts Twin City

BREAKING NEWS: The Town of Tonawanda has just announced a significant change in its emergency response strategy, scaling back plans for its own ambulance service. On Monday, officials voted to extend a two-year contract with Twin City Ambulance, the current provider, amidst challenges that complicated the town’s initial proposal.

The decision comes after a rocky journey that began last October when town officials considered launching their own service in response to resident complaints about response times. Town Supervisor Joe Emminger revealed that the complexities of establishing a new service were far greater than anticipated. “I originally thought it’d be the beginning part of 2025, then it became the middle of 2025, and then I just said sometime in 2025,” Emminger explained.

Emminger highlighted multiple factors that led to this pivotal decision, including the extensive regulatory hurdles posed by state agencies. “Getting approvals takes time to get all this stuff together,” he noted. The town’s plans initially called for hiring 20 EMTs; however, Emminger admitted they did not receive enough applications to staff the new service adequately.

Under the new agreement with Twin City, emergency services will remain available around the clock. Notably, the town will deploy one of its own ambulances staffed by just four EMTs by the end of this year. This is a marked reduction from the original vision, which included purchasing three ambulances and acquiring an additional vehicle. While the town will only retain two ambulances, Emminger confirmed that the surplus vehicles will not go to waste. “Other municipalities have reached out to us, and we’re going to be selling those other two ambulances, or they will at least be leased by the end of the year,” he stated.

Importantly, Emminger assured taxpayers that the revised plan will not impose any financial burden. He described the adjusted service as a “win-win situation for everyone.” “This isn’t the plan I had envisioned last October, but I think it’s a plan that really does serve the Town of Tonawanda,” he said, emphasizing a cautious approach moving forward.

The current agreement with Twin City will remain in effect until October 2027, allowing the town to reevaluate its emergency services strategy as it gains experience.

As this situation develops, residents and stakeholders are encouraged to stay informed about the evolving emergency response services in Tonawanda. With local officials striving to balance efficiency and cost, the town’s next steps will be closely monitored in the coming months.