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General News: Ambulance Jurisdictional Case Goes to Hearing
December 01, 2009
A dispute over a New York State Department of Health investigation that contributed to the resignation of three officers of the Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps (COVAC) is headed to court on Wednesday.
The health department investigation centers on whether the New Windsor Volunteer Ambulance Corps was working outside its jurisdiction when it responded to requests for advance life support services from COVAC and other area ambulance corps. Both the New Windsor and Cornwall ambulances corps are being investigated, according to the health department. The two services have close ties, with COVAC chief Michael Bigg also serving in the New Windsor Ambulance Corps.
Health Dept. Issues Cease and Desist Order
Last week, COVAC CEO Karen Zuzek said that she resigned because of the way the COVAC board handled its response to the department of health investigation. Two other officers, vice president Chuck Wipplinger and treasurer Stephan Wilkinson, resigned along with Zuzek.
In a letter to Chief Bigg at the New Windsor Volunteer Ambulance Corp, the health department orders the corps to “cease and desist operating outside your authorized response area.” The November 12 letter says that the New Windsor Ambulance Corp was advised in late September to stop responding outside the town of New Windsor and cited 18 cases since then when it had responded anyway.
Attorney Says Patient Care Comes First
Attorney Brad Pinsky, who represents the New Windsor Corp, says that the department of health’s order is wrong and that lives may be at risk if a patient doesn’t get treatment from the nearest advanced life support service provider. “It is critical for the patient who needs life support services that they get that as soon as possible, “ Pinsky said, noting that sometimes other services are not available.
The Cornwall corps provides only basic life support, while New Windsor’s corps has a paramedic unit. A privately-run advanced life support service provider, Mobile Life, is licensed to respond throughout Orange County while New Windsor’s corps may provide services under a mutual aid agreement.
Judge to Hear Arguments on Wednesday
The letter from the department of health says that it received numerous complaints about New Windsor operating outside its jurisdiction. Attorney Pinsky says it responded to about 200 requests for services last year, many of them from Cornwall, under the legal terms of a county-wide mutual aid agreement.
Pinksy also says that the department of health issued its order without giving the ambulance corp a chance to explain. He responded by a filing a petition to stop the order and will present his case to an Orange County supreme court judge on Wednesday morning.
Officials from the department of health would not comment on the case
Comments:
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Please ! No comments by members of COVAC -- Call me if you need to. -- Brian
posted by Brian T. Fiorio on 12/01/09 at 10:13 PM
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Probably has more to do with the wisdom of not airing dirty laundry in public than assaulting the Constitution. I'd let the Judge sort out the politics from the patient care and then proceed from there...
posted by Jim Henry on 12/02/09 at 12:15 AM
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Thank you Jim -- This is exactly the reason. Thank you for your comment.
posted by Brian T. Fiorio on 12/02/09 at 9:18 AM
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Hey, Steve FYI
The Second Amendment
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
posted by Brian T. Fiorio on 12/02/09 at 10:04 AM
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