"A lot of things are in the air,” said Westerlo’s acting supervisor of ambulance coverage.

Following the closure of Rensselaerville Volunteer Ambulance, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office has had to offer an ambulance with an emergency medical provider as well as a paramedic in a fly car. This has led to an increase in the costs for the three Hilltowns served: Berne, Westerlo, and Rensselaerville.

A third meeting of a committee on New Scotland’s EMS services has begun arranging a shared scheduling system as well as adopting an electronic alert system for volunteers.

The village of Voorheesville's ambulance has 15 members, which First Lieutenant Tom Smith describes as an “older crowd,” some of whom have volunteered for 25 to 30 years.

The Voorheesville Fire Department declined to take over ambulance duties — a relief for contentions between the village board and the ambulance squad, which says Mayor Conway's statement about the situation in the village newsletter was incorrect.

Voorheesville's mayor and village board plans to replace the Voorheesville Area Ambulance Service with re-trained volunteer firefighters. The retaliatory move would undermine the service without ensuring a viable replacement.