Gloucester Township’s first regular council meeting of the new year featured extensive discussion of an agreement with Inspira Medical Centers for temporary emergency medical services.
During the Jan. 10 session, Solicitor David Carlamere explained that at the end of the last calendar year, the township received news from its prior EMS provider, AMR, of a 120 day termination notice.
So a township search for another provider was on.
“The township was concerned, as well as the township of Pine Hill, that AMR could not respond,: Carlamere explained. “So because of the lack of response, over a long period of time, the township felt it had no choice but to declare a breach [of contract].”
During public comment at the council meeting, many township residents complained about the expiration of the EMS contract, noting that the township should prevent further breaches.
“First I would like to thank all those that worked hard to bring Inspira in,” said Ray Polidoro, “But I’d like to know if the township is going to hold the previous EMS service responsible and or [take] any legal action for breach of contract.”
Polidoro also expressed concern about an emergency occurring without acting EMS nearby.
Carlamere responded that the township did attempt to receive assistance from neighboring towns, but that sometimes the call level will force other EMS to pass on the idea.
“The township was then told they would only receive aid if there was an emergency, if it was life threatening, because they need to take care of their own towns … That forced them to declare the breach,” Carlamare said.
A long-term EMS contract for the township has yet to happen, and the Inspira deal is only for the remaining days of the terminated contract.
“We don’t even want to know what could have happened on nights we didn’t have it [EMS],” said Polidoro.
