Editorial

Ambulance coverage concerns revisited

by Ruth Isenberg

Weatherly Borough is about to find itself without ambulance service again. A letter from Mahoning Valley Ambulance was received by the borough January 30 notifying them that they would no longer be able to serve as the community’s ambulance. Borough officials are reaching out to other regional companies.

Closest active ambulance companies are located in White Haven, Hazleton and Lehighton. All are over 10 miles away, which means a 15 to 20 minute delay in response time, and all have a common problem—staffing shortages.

Because there are a limited number of volunteer ambulance companies still active, and because those companies are all short-staffed, an ambulance is not always available when one is needed. If only one crew is working at a time, and it is called to the far end of the coverage area, when a second call comes in, there’s no one available to answer it. So the county dispatcher sends out the second responder, the third responder, or whoever is available.

Most companies have a goal of 24/7 coverage. Many of them have been unable to staff to that level for some time. Unfortunately, that means companies that are in service can be dispatched far away from their home areas, and that creates delays in response times.

The problem exists regionally, and the solution will probably have to be regional as well. It’s time for all our local companies to get together and begin to forge a plan.

From The Journal-Herald

February 11, 1993

Editors & Publishers

Jay and Clara Holder

The White Haven VFW Post 6615’s new building was shown on the front page. The building is atop the foundation of the former Ripples Schoolhouse. The VFW had been using the basement as the Post Home for many years, and will soon enjoy the new upstairs.

On page 2, the White Haven Cub Scouts are pictured with Snowbird during their tour of WBRE TV 28. In the photo are Jeremy Bond, Michael Perry, Edgar Jumper, Michael Troell, Graig Hartley, Robert Rice, Steven Koch and Boy Scout Richard Perry. The Cub Scouts will be going to the District Pinewood Derby, to be held at the Laurel Mall on February 20.

Stan Kalinowski was appointed to fill the vacant East Side Borough council seat opened by the resignation of Todd Wood. Borough council changed its rejection of the Carbon County 911 Emergency Response System, agreeing to “gladly join when the system is up and running.”

Packer Township plans to pave Grist Mill Road this year. Bids are being sought. Supervisors are looking to produce their own newsletter this spring.

Lt. Col. Eleanor Earnhart of White Haven was promoted to First Vice President of the PA Constables

Association, Luzerne County Chapter on January 12. She is president of the Dennison Township Fire Company and Captain of the Dennison Township Fire Police.

Foster Township Supervisors held a special meeting on Feb. 2 regarding the C&D Superfund site. Among the information: testing well water in the area for selenium and arsenic, along with lead, will expand. AT&T is proposing that the site be encapsulated with concrete. Interviews with locals are being planned.

Doctors Emilia and Adrian Secheresciu have joined the Hazleton-St. Joseph Medical Center satellite system from the Shiloh Physician Center in Huber Heights, Ohio part of the Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.

On March 1, Adrian will become medical director in Freeland, and Emilia will do the same in Weatherly in the Weatherly Plaza.

Natives of Romania, they both graduated from the Institute of Medicine and Pharmacy of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Both are board eligible in internal medicine.

Silver’s Sleepshop and Babyland in Hazleton and Lansford was a new advertiser in this issue.

Tonight is the Senior Semi-Formal for the Weatherly Area High School, held at the Middle School café. Pictures, by Neil Flexer, will start at 7.

The Rev. Mark Fultz penned the Pastor’s Corner column this week.

Mr. Fun of Jack Frost Mountain was pictured climbing a ladder truck’s ladder to his tent camping perch atop the main lodge at Jack Frost through Feb. 13 to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. He brought his Teddy bear.

The Carbon County Vo-Tech board approved buying two acres beside the current property, for future expansion.

When a cellular company builds its tower in Penn Forest Twp., Carbon County will put repeaters for its 911 system on it, saving the cost of building a tower of its own.

47 Republican freshman congressmen have banded

See ARCHIVES, page 5

Public Notice

Legal Notice

NOTICE is hereby given that Letters of Administration have been issued to Michelle Jungbaer of 1521 Honey Hole Road, White Haven, Pennsylvania, Administratrix of the Estate of Marie K. Richards, deceased, late of White Haven, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, who died on November 1, 2022. All creditors are requested to present their claims and all persons indebted to the decedent will make payment to the aforementioned Administratrix, C/O the attorney for the estate:

Stacey F. Acri, Esq. 273 E. Northampton St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702

(570) 826-5554