By Matt Curatolo
Watertown Daily Times
WATERTOWN, N.Y. 鈥� North Star Health Alliance will appeal a ruling that denied a certificate of need (CON) for the creation of an ambulance service for inter-facility patient transfers in the tri-county area.
In September, North Star Health Alliance announced that it would move to create its own ambulance service and seek a certificate of need from the state Department of Health. The proposal has drawn opposition from rescue squads and ambulance services in the tri-county area.
Earlier this month, North Country Regional EMS Council held a public meeting in Gouverneur and later voted against granting the CON to North Star Health Alliance. A news release from North Star Health Alliance stated that Hearing Officer Lee Burns, a former director for the state Department of Health Bureau of EMS, presented 鈥渃ompelling data鈥� and 鈥渙verwhelming evidence of the need for an ambulance service dedicated to inter-facility transports.鈥�
鈥淲e look forward to filing an appeal with the state and presenting clear evidence of the urgent need for our ambulance service,鈥� stated Dom Doldo, vice president of Emergency Services and Security at North Star Health Alliance. 鈥淥ur proposed service is designed to complement existing EMS providers by focusing on interfacility transfers and supporting mutual aid efforts across the region. This approach strengthens our emergency care infrastructure and ensures the patients and communities we serve have access to timely, definitive care.鈥�
鈥淲hile we respect the role of the regional EMS Council, their decision contradicts the facts and quantifiable data that demonstrate an urgent public need. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the communities we serve and prepare to present our case to the State Emergency Medical Services Council (SEMSCO). The North Star Health Alliance remains dedicated to improving emergency medical services across our region. We look forward to engaging with state officials to demonstrate that the need for additional EMS resources is both real and urgent.鈥�
North Star Health Alliance received no support from the Ogdensburg City Council last fall after making a presenting on the ambulance proposal.
Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad EMS Chief Kenneth Gardner has been a vocal opponent of the North Star Health Alliance proposal.
鈥淪hould the CON be granted, it will have a substantial impact on ambulance service in Ogdensburg and the Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad鈥檚 (OVRS) ability to maintain the high quality of service and care that the organization strives for. If the CON is awarded, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center (CHMC) will be compelled to recruit providers from neighboring agencies, which could result in substantial staffing challenges for North Country EMS agencies,鈥� he wrote in his 2025 annual report.
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