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Weatherly Ambulance Association closes

After answering calls for more than 40 years, a long-time ambulance association is no longer responding to emergencies in Weatherly.

WEATHERLY, Pa. — Garage doors are locked, and EMTs are gone.

The Greater Weatherly Ambulance Association is no longer answering calls.

"There are people who miss it that need it. It's an inconvenience, but what are you going to do," said Ronald Duser, Weatherly.

After responding to emergencies in the borough fo more than four decades, the ambulance association locked its doors earlier this month.

The biggest issues were lack of funding and people to answer calls.

For the time being, Mahoning Township and Lehighton ambulance companies are helping with emergencies.

"It's just so hard. It costs these people so much to get certified, get all their education and training and everything. Then they were only making about 12-bucks an hour, so I mean it's kind of hard. You can't expect people to work for nothing," said Joe Cyburt, Weatherly Borough Council.

An ambulance will stay parked downtown for now, but borough officials are looking for a more permanent solution.

Joe Cyburt is on Weatherly Borough Council. He says while the parked ambulance is not a 24/7 operation, it's better than having to wait 15 plus minutes for an outside response team.

"We want to have a unit sitting here in Weatherly or really close that they can respond. I mean response time is everything," said Cyburt.

Leah Tomko runs La Napoli III and lives in Weatherly.  The ambulance association has helped her family in the past. She's hoping for a permanent solution soon.

"For a small community, I mean, I know funding is hard, but you'd think a solution or some kind of solution could be made," said Tomko.

Officials plan to continue looking into ways to bring a permanent ambulance service back to Weatherly.

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