Town of Tonawanda Scales Back Ambulance Plans, Contracts Twin City

BREAKING: The Town of Tonawanda has just announced a major shift in its emergency services strategy, opting to scale back its plans for a new ambulance service. On Monday, town officials voted to renew a two-year contract with Twin City Ambulance, the current provider, after acknowledging that launching an independent service proved far more complex than anticipated.

Officials previously sought to replace Twin City with their own ambulance service due to community concerns over response times. However, Town Supervisor Joe Emminger revealed that the challenges of navigating state regulations made the initiative increasingly problematic. “I didn’t realize all of the complexities of getting into this situation,” Emminger stated.

Initially, the town aimed to hire 20 EMTs, but the hiring process faltered, with not enough applications received. Instead, the new agreement will enable Twin City to continue providing emergency services while the town will operate one ambulance staffed by just four EMTs.

The town had previously purchased three ambulances and acquired an additional one, but will now retain only two. Emminger confirmed that the surplus ambulances will either be sold or leased to other municipalities by the end of the year. He emphasized that this decision will not impose any financial burden on taxpayers, framing the agreement as a “win-win situation.”

“This isn’t the plan I had envisioned last October,” Emminger reflected, “but I think it’s a plan that really does serve the town of Tonawanda.” He expressed optimism about having the four EMTs operational by the end of the year, with the new contract in effect until October 2027.

As the town navigates these adjustments, community members are encouraged to stay informed about their emergency services. With the renewed contract, residents can expect continued support from Twin City Ambulance while the town takes cautious steps towards its long-term goals.