CURWENSVILLE – Yet another setback for Curwensville serves as a sign of the difficult economic times. Last week, the Rescue Hose and Ladder Company members voted for its ambulance service to be operated on a volunteer basis.
Fire Chief Travis Goodman told WJAC-TV that they knew they would eventually have to make this decision. The fire department owns the ambulance service. Due to the economy and patrons not paying for basic life services, he said they had to make these changes.
The services will operate solely on a volunteer basis, starting Sept. 15.
Curwensville Mayor Holly Komonczi said that she is disappointed that this happened. She is hoping that the community will be able to come together and help the ambulance service bounce back.
Goodman said that while he understands people are upset, ambulance service operations were cutting into the fire department’s budget. He said that about nine part-time employees have been laid off. He said the six remaining full-time employees will not have their jobs at the end of the week.
Goodman said that it was a tough decision, but if they’d continued operating, the fire department could have been forced to close.
The fire department is looking for volunteers who have medical backgrounds or training in volunteering as an EMT. The fire department is also accepting monetary donations.
