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Ulster town officials are moving forward with plans to establish a townwide ambulance district following the initiation of a contract with Empress Ambulance Service. The contract, which began in March, provides advanced life support coverage through 2025 for $1.28 million and includes support for the neighboring town of Kingston. The new agreement ensures 24/7 ambulance crews, aiming to improve response times that previously left some patients waiting up to 40 minutes.
According to JEMS, the town board began gathering information for the proposed district on Thursday (April 17). The contract with Empress requires that 90% of calls are responded to within 11 minutes and 59 seconds. In the first month, the average response time for dedicated units was 7 minutes and 20 seconds.
However, rising ambulance costs could affect the town's tax levy limit. Town officials are urging Ulster County to provide more financial support as expenses continue to climb. A report from August 2024 noted 49 missed calls out of 1,162 dispatch requests in the first half of the year, prompting efforts to establish a dedicated service.
County Executive Jen Metzger has proposed providing $1.6 million toward municipal services and an additional $2.8 million directly to ambulance companies. However, Ulster County Legislator Jason Kovacs has revised his resolution for towns to receive fiscal support, seeking $4.53 million with county approval.
Town Supervisor James Quigley expressed concerns about the county's reluctance to provide financial support, stating, "They want to force the financial burden back on the local community where the services are provided."