Golden Statement On Local Ambulance Service Changes

Brooklyn- State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C, Brooklyn) today issued the following statement on the April 1, 2007 scheduled changes that will effect local ambulance service:

"It is with great disappointment that we learn of the discontinuation of Emergency Medical Service ambulance tours as provided by Victory Memorial Hospital effective this Sunday. The community will not suffer, nor will it be undeserved by ambulance service, for we will work with the Fire Department of New York and Lutheran Medical Center to maintain an equal level of service as to not impact the response time for emergency calls."

Senator Golden continued, "As Victory Memorial Hospital goes through a transition, I will be working towards a return of local ambulances through one of the many hospitals that has expressed an interest in maintaining an emergency room at the Victory Memorial Hospital site. Insuring that our community has sufficient ambulance service is just as important as guaranteeing that our emergency rooms can meet the medical needs of all residents. At all levels of care, we must maintain health care as a priority."

The Fire Department of New York Ambulance Deployment Matrix for the community will be revised, effective April 1, 2007, deleting all tours for the three 911 ambulances operated by Victory Memorial Hospital. The ambulances will continue to operate on patrol, however, will be removed from the 911 system, so calls to 911 will be responded to by an F.D.N.Y. or Lutheran Medical Center ambulance.