Local officials need to make keeping COVA ambulance a top priority

Posted 18 August 2022 at 7:18 am

Editor:

As a Carlton resident I write this letter because the residents of Albion, Barre, Carlton and Gaines need to know that COVA ambulance, the ambulance that each of us rely on as a staple to our community, is in danger of closing their doors.

We recently learned that for the last few years COVA has been meeting with county and town officials. They have explained this crisis in hopes that our elected officials would understand the dire situation that they are in, and the fact that after three years there is no resolution is truly alarming. These officials are elected by the community to serve us and to act in the best interest of their constituents.

We are truly fortunate to have a community-based ambulance service that has survived the last 40 years on their own with no tax or public funding. COVA has survived on billing and donations alone. Times have changed and clearly the ambulance crisis is a huge areawide problem. Let’s not make this another Orleans County problem.

COVA has asked for financial help from our community leaders and there has been no resolve. The residents of Orleans County need to understand that if COVA closes its doors the residents will be left with no ambulance service or waiting who knows how long for an ambulance from out of town to show up.

As the wife of someone whose life was saved by COVA 7 years ago I pray that as a community we can get them the help they need. The seriousness of this needs to be known and we the people deserve a say.

Call our town offices, write letters! The town boards will make the final decision on whether an ambulance shows up to save your life or the life of your loved one.

Julie Rheinwald

Carlton