TLC Emergency Services in Cortland will no longer respond to non-emergency lift-assist calls.
TLC Emergency Services made the announcement in January that while they will continue responding to injury-related calls, they lack the staffing and ambulances to handle lift assist calls that do not require an ambulance, WBNG reports.
Now, EMS officials in both Cortland and Tompkins counties have expressed concerns over the impact of this policy change, which they fear could lead to increased risks for patients. Daniel Tier, president of Dryden Ambulance, warned that delayed responses could worsen injuries in cases where something that looks like a simple fall actually involves a more serious injury.
John Till, Cortland County Deputy EMS Coordinator, also raised concerns about the strain on neighboring ambulance agencies, which are increasingly being called upon to assist.
