By Teresa McMinn
Cumberland Times-News
CUMBERLAND, Md. 鈥� A recent letter from Lonaconing Mayor Jack Coburn and the town鈥檚 council to Georges Creek residents stated Thursday鈥檚 Allegany County Board of Commissioners meeting would be 鈥渙ne of the most important meetings you could attend this year.鈥�
The correspondence asked residents to question county officials 鈥渁s to why the Georges Creek Ambulance Service is still not staffed 24/7 and why it is not up and running.鈥�
Closing of the station over the summer marks the first time in 47 years that the community has been without ambulance service,鈥� the letter stated.
鈥淎lthough we are provided service from a different area, it is not always a sufficient time frame, as we all know time is of the essence when it comes to someone鈥檚 life,鈥� it stated.
The letter talked of treacherous road conditions on state Route 36 during winter months that could mean an ambulance from Frostburg or LaVale might take significant time to reach someone in Lonaconing, it stated.
鈥淢any patients do not have 45 minutes to wait to be transported to UPMC,鈥� it stated.
ReleaseCounty officials on Thursday issued a press release to address concerns regarding emergency services in Lonaconing.
鈥淎llegany County Government welcomes citizen engagement and values the active participation of residents in our public business meetings,鈥� it stated. 鈥淲e wish to provide clarity and additional context regarding the Georges Creek Ambulance Service and related issues raised by concerned residents in Lonaconing .鈥�
According to the release, the ambulance service earlier this year told county officials it was unable to continue operations due to the loss of volunteers.
In response, county commissioners agreed to explore a takeover of the operation.
鈥淭his decision included accepting Georges Creek鈥檚 building and equipment at no cost, which we believed would alleviate some of the financial burden,鈥� it stated and described 鈥渦nforeseen challenges鈥� that arose including 鈥渟ignificant outstanding debts.鈥�
When the county gained access to the building in November, 鈥渟everal major structural and operational problems鈥� were identified,鈥� the release stated.
鈥淎ddressing these issues would require substantial investment, potentially beyond the county鈥檚 current financial capacity,鈥� it stated.
Meanwhile, emergency medical coverage for the Lonaconing area is provided by neighboring ambulance teams from Frostburg and Tri-Towns, 鈥渂oth of which are located approximately 10 minutes away,鈥� it stated.
However, 鈥渋t is important to note that the county鈥檚 budget is under considerable strain,鈥� the release stated.
鈥� Allegany County has taken significant measures to manage limited resources鈥� that include cuts across various departments.
鈥淚n addition to the Georges Creek Ambulance challenges, Lonaconing鈥檚 water system has been supported by the county and the city of Frostburg due to its operational failure,鈥� the release stated. 鈥淭he town currently owes the county several hundred thousand dollars for water services, with the last payment received in May 2024 .鈥�
MeetingAllegany County Administrator Jason Bennett said an initial assessment of the station showed roughly $100,000 is needed for structural repairs that include a sprinkler system.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e gonna put county-paid staff in there, that鈥檚 gotta be functioning,鈥� he said.
Bennett said there鈥檚 a possible $70,000 lien against the building, and 鈥渓iabilities on the ambulances that sit there in a total of around $200,000.鈥�
Bobby Ritchie, chief of Good Will Fire Company No. 1 of Lonaconing, said several ambulance stations in the county are without a sprinkler system.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e using ... money in the wrong places instead of saving people鈥檚 lives,鈥� he said.
Frostburg resident Craig Alexander said he wants an ambulance crew to operate from the Georges Creek station.
鈥淢inutes equal lives lost and that needs to be taken into consideration,鈥� he said. 鈥淪omebody will die because there was no ambulance to run the call out of Lonaconing .鈥�
Alexander said he read the county鈥檚 press release on social media and questioned what Lonaconing鈥檚 water bill had to do with the ambulance service.
Coburn said he called the county to discuss the ambulance service but Bennett 鈥渉aggled鈥� him about the water bill.
Coburn said he had a canceled check that showed Lonaconing paid the county $194,000.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e gonna put press releases out there, make sure they鈥檙e right,鈥� Coburn said.
鈥淚鈥檝e been here for 27 years,鈥� Coburn said of his political career.
鈥淭here鈥檚 times that I have been more disrespected from this administrator than any other administrators in this county.鈥�
He said the ambulance building is assessed at $132,000.
"(Do) the repairs,鈥� Coburn said.
鈥淲e need to get up and running. People鈥檚 lives are at stake鈥�
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