Troy firefighters, city, spar over ambulance

Firefighters in Troy are down an ambulance, after they say the city took one out of service. Now the city is finally responding.

They say the ambulance was never supposed to run there overnight, permanently. It was just supposed to be there while a firehouse on Canal Avenue was renovated.

However, Troy’s fire union says it’s needed at this station and should not be taken.

They’re calling the move to sideline it overnight — careless. Their post on Facebook has more than 100 shares, and comments like “total insanity.”

One team staffs both a firetruck and an ambulance in Troy at the same time, in what’s called cross-staffing.

The union says moving an ambulance affects the ability to fight fires.

Now after a visit and several calls, the mayor’s spokesperson tells NewsChannel 13 that ambulance was only meant to be around as the firehouse on Canal Avenue was renovated. However, the union says it’s used and needed here.

Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello says there is $600,000 set aside for staffing needs in 2023. The city says that money is going to staff a surge ambulance to help when other ambulances are busy.

Learn how much of an increase in calls Troy emergency workers say they’ve been getting over the past year by watching the video of Stella Porter’s story.