ADAMS, Mass. — The state Department of Public Health suspended Adams Ambulance Service's license to operate on Friday effective immediately.

 

DPH is also seeking a temporary revocation of the license based on inadequate service, lack of staffing and planning and the service's inability to answer questions regarding operations and financing. 

 

Adams Ambulance has been struggling financially and had been removed as the primary emergency medical service responder for two of the four towns it had covered. 

 

"The health, safety, and welfare of residents in the communities within the impacted ambulance service area is the priority of the Department of Public Health," a DPH spokesperson said on Monday. "Ambulance services occupy a position of special public trust within their communities. The department is pursuing this action so that residents in the impacted area can remain confident that they are being provided access to reliable ambulance service in accordance with EMS System regulations."

 

Town officials were notified on Friday by DPH of the suspension and Northern Berkshire EMS personnel were told on Friday afternoon that the service could no longer be called for backup.

 

Savoy and Hawley are currently covered by Adams Ambulance for emergency calls; the towns of Adams and Cheshire voted in December to enter into memorandums of understanding with Northern Berkshire EMS for coverage. Adams Ambulance Service had still been available for mutual aid on 911 calls.

 

Savoy has three items regarding EMS on its agenda at Tuesday's meeting. 

 

The service had notified DPH on Nov. 13 that it would cease operations on Dec. 31 but the 50-year-old nonprofit reorganized in an attempt to keep operating after its president and manager left. It withdrew its notice of termination on Nov. 20 but "subsequently and continually has been unwilling or unable to sufficiently answer DPH’s questions about its operations and finances," according to DPH. 

 

It also failed to put a plan in place to prevent the disruption of emergency services. Town officials in Adams and Cheshire stepped in to ensure continuation of services through Northern Berkshire EMS. 

 

"As a result of these allegations and findings, DPH has no confidence in Adams Ambulance Service's ability to sustain paramedic-level ambulance service licensure and provide service in accordance with the EMS System regulations," stated DPH on Monday. "Such actions violate the conditions of licensure under the governing regulations and endanger the public health and safety."

 

The nonprofit private service has been struggling financially with an estimated deficit of more than $200,000 and had some $850,000 in delinquent billing.  

 

On Nov. 30, the membership voted to sell the ambulance building on Columbia Street to an interested party and lease it back and  a plan in place to switch billing companies, pursue delinquencies, apply for grants, fund raise and designate a town liaison to improve communications. 

 

The service had approached the towns about funding but Adams and Cheshire officials felt their repeated questions regarding finances had not been answered. At this point, only Hawley provides some funding. 

 

Northern Berkshire EMS was approved by DPH to operate out of the Adams Forest Wardens building as of Jan. 1. At a Selectmen's meeting last week, Green said there had been about 30 calls the first week and mutual aid was only required once. 

 

"The logistics are working out fine. The town of Cheshire is pleased. They're monitoring, as are we, the response time," he said. "In fact the response has actually been better for Cheshire."

 

Police K. Scott Kelley said there had been an "unfortunate incident" with an infant that Northern Berkshire EMS and police had responded to and that the service had brought everyone involved together for a critical debrief and to talk about it.

 

"They're certainly moving in the right direction," he said.

 

Complete write-thru, Jan. 22 at 11:30 a.m.