Spotswood is keeping its options open when it comes to an EMS provider. During the Sept. 21 meeting, Borough Council members voted in favor of going out to bid for emergency medical services.
“Council members know that this is a vital service. We’re going to weigh the options and give it a great deal of thought to make that decision after we get the numbers that we need,” said council President Curtis Stollen.
According to Stollen, it has become necessary to look for an outside service to replace the Spotswood Emergency Medical Services squad due to changes brought by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
“It’s necessary because of the changes coming because of the ACA that have already impacted us with the changes to Medicare. We are not receiving the reimbursements that we used to receive,” said Stollen.
Another major contributing factor is that the borough would have to provide benefits for EMS employees who log over 30 hours a week.
“The cost of salary, wages and benefits for the number of full-time employees necessitate that we explore all options to provide this service,” said Stollen.
“It’s not ruling anything out or in. It’s exploring the options to see what our costs would be for the different choices we would have to make.”
For 2015, the municipal budget allots $424,007 for EMS, with salaries totaling $348,000.
Stollen said the squad has around 20 members, none of whom are full-time, and two ambulances.
Spotswood EMS Director Miriam Barbarise said she could not comment.
The process of outsourcing EMS services began at the June 3 meeting when council members voted unanimously to look at other options.
“We have to move forward and weigh all our options. Sending the [requests for proposals] out gives us options of how we can go whether we want to maintain the borough’s EMS or outsource it,” said Councilman Leo Servis.
Since the EMS building on DeVoe Avenue was destroyed during Hurricane Irene, the borough has been housing its EMS service at 11 American Way.
Contact Michael Nunes at [email protected].