Longtime Partnership Of EMS Companies Ends

CARLISLE, Pa. - WGAL.com

A long-standing partnership between two Cumberland County paramedic companies is breaking up.

Paramedics have to work with each other during emergencies. But lately, the relationship between the Cumberland Goodwill EMS and West Shore EMS has been strained.

"Of the four ambulances that are in service, two of them have two organizations running on them. That's bound to lead to conflict," said Robert Pine, of Cumberland Goodwill EMS.

For more than a decade in the Carlisle area, West Shore EMS staffed the paramedics and Cumberland Goodwill staffed the EMTs.

But recently, a rift formed between the groups.

"We finally got to a point when we said, 'We need to step out on our own,'" said Pine.

Cumberland Goodwill EMS will break the partnership at the end of the year.

"In my mind, it wasn't so much a personality issue, or a personnel issue. It was a logistical issue," said Larry Roberts, vice president of West Shore EMS.

Roberts said it became too complicated sharing resources.

"Will we take a hit financially? Yes. But we feel we can, looking at it, make everything work well for us," said Roberts.

Instead of laying off workers, West Shore EMS will shift some of its staff, taking paramedics who worked in the Carlisle area and moving them to stations in Newville and Mount Holly Springs. Roberts said that will shorten their response times.

Cumberland Goodwill EMS is hiring a dozen paramedics to bolster their coverage of Carlisle.

"This is going to be a seamless transfer for the community. And that was the goal. I'm sure that's the goal for West Shore EMS, too," said Pine.

So far, six municipalities in the Carlisle area have chosen Cumberland Goodwill EMS over West Shore EMS as their emergency care provider.

Middlesex Township is the only community that has not decided yet.

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