Transcare Ceases ALL Operations

[Bnechis 3,961]

40 minutes ago, Skooter92 said:

Thank goodness Empress had the assets to step in. This is a prime reason why municipalities need to rethink farming out EMS to save a few bucks. You trade stability and possibly longevity just to slash budget lines.

As long as NYS does not mandate EMS coverage for municipalities like it requires police and fire, this is exactly what they will do, save a few bucks.

[x635 4,066]

I was not aware that Transcare had such extensive involvement in the Bronx EMS system
 

Quote

 

***MEDIA ADVISORY***
STATEMENT FROM FIRE COMMISSIONER DANIEL A. NIGRO ON EMS CONTINGENCY PLAN DUE TO BANKRUPTCY FILING BY PRIVATE AMBULANCE COMPANY TRANSCARE

Today, the state Health Department informed the Fire Department that TransCare, a private ambulance company that participates in the 911 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system in New York City through contractual agreements with several private hospitals, has filed for bankruptcy.

On a daily basis, TransCare operates 27 ambulances in the Bronx and Manhattan, staffing a total of 81 ambulance "tours" - or shifts.

The Fire Department has been aware for several months of the financial difficulties faced by TransCare, and has developed contingency plans - both short and long term - in anticipation of today's announcement.

To ensure uninterrupted EMS services continue to be provided throughout the city - particularly in Manhattan and the Bronx - I have ordered the immediate implementation of our contingency plans, which includes the following:

• Additional FDNY units - staffed on overtime - will be placed into service to fill vacancies created by TransCare.
• Private hospital and/or third-party providers of EMS services are being surveyed to ascertain their ability to fill any tours previously staffed by TransCare.

TransCare has contracts with the following seven hospitals, where - under agreement with the City of New York - it operates ambulances as part of the 911 EMS system:

 

BRONX
Montefiore Medical Center (3 ambulances)
Bronx-Lebanon Medical Center (6 ambulances)
Montefiore Medical Center (4 ambulances)
St. Barnabas Hospital (5 ambulances)

MANHATTAN
Beth Israel Medical Center (4 ambulances)
Mount Sinai Hospital (3 ambulances)

NYU Langone Medical Center (2 ambulances)

Press Contact: Francis X. Gribbon & Frank Dwyer, (FDNY) (718) 999-2056

 

 

[FirNaTine 370]

Yeah I'm sure the Brothers in the Vern want to take on that Service! With what Manpower they're lucky they have enough guys to stretch a hose line ! It'll never work there!

[Fdnyresclt 13]

They can not move assets from one company to a new company when that original company declares bankruptcy. The bankruptcy courts will never allow this or everyone could just say we are bankrupt and move on to the next business. 

The did not claim chapter 12 reorganization they claimed chapter 7, which means they have no intention of staying in busines. All assets are now the property of NYS bankruptcy court due to the fact the company operates in many other states they will fall under other federal laws governing bankruptcy. 

The letter states the are hoping to keep the Hudson Valley and Maryland operations going. 

From what I heard this was already denied in NYC by the bankruptcy court.

As far more private ambulances coming into the 911 service it is not going to happen as a permanent thing. 

The city is in the process of hiring more EMT has a class currently of almost 180 in the academy now and just was ordered to hire 300 more EMTs to start the next class. 

Before anyone says they will just higher Transcare employees they can't, the must hire off of the prestablished civil service lists. 

The city already has gotten approval from city council and OMB to hire more EMTs and purchase 75 more ambulances immediately. 

[nydude2473 79]

Just want to hit a few things in this post. 1. I'm not too sure that NY Pres and Northwell are going to make that push to put busses up in the county for very small hospitals. These hospitals already have ambulance service from WEMS. The only time you see NY Pres or Northwell up here is if they are doing an inter-facility transfer...Like Hudson Valley to Pres in the City. I know WEMS already provides a great service to these hospitals and honestly it takes that burden off the bigger hospitals, since they don't do that many transfers with the little hospitals to begin with. But, that can always change in time. 2. It's great and all that Mayor Thomas has high hopes that one day they can have the FD provide EMS service in the Vern. However, like it was mentioned previously, no way in the world that is happening any time soon. The damn city council is fighting the mayor just to add 11 more guys. Maybe one day, but definitely not in the foreseeable future. The Vern has to really get its act together before it can even think of doing anything else besides basic firefighting. 3. Transcare had a huge role in 911 EMS in the Bronx. If I'm not mistaken, they had most of the hospital contracts. From sources I have and reading around, they were already starting to lose those hospitals to other private EMS companies such as SeniorCare and Citywide. This definitely hits hard for the Bronx, especially since they are already struggling right now with EMS calls as it is. 4. It's definitely going to be interesting to see what happens in these municipalities when it comes to an EMS provider. I know the remaining 3 big cities in the county are going to have to stick with Empress for now, but I wouldn't be surprised if eventually they turn to the FDNY style route of having their own "city" EMS. Only time will tell. Also with this, does this mean FDNY is going to hire more EMTs and Medics. I know they have been trying to make the push lately with putting more classes through and trying to attempt this new "flycar" program. But, I feel like now they have no choice but to pick up the slack that Transcare has left. They might feel like now these private EMS companies aren't as reliable and might just try to make that push for a complete FDNY EMS takeover in certain locations. Who knows, just some thoughts and comments I wanted to rattle off. Like I said before, only time will tell!

[Fdnyresclt 13]

In regards to private ambulance expanding or commercial ambulances coming into the 911 system it not going to happen under the current mayor. The are very upset since in the last two years with other hospital failing and cutting ambulance tours and having to scramble to cover it they now want to start to push and take back tours. 

Transcare countined to lie to the city up to yesterday that they we fine and not going under,guess they didn't known !!

They have not ask any of the Pvt hospital for additional tours as of last night. 

As I perviously stated have a large class in the BOT that is due out next month, the already had a class to start in March and now have add 120 people to that class, so now they will be putting in two class of  180 probies one day tour and one evening tour for a total of 360 new probies that can be put out in as little as 4 weeks if they shorten the academy which is an option. If they don't shorten the class the will hit the street in six weeks after starting the class. 

 

 

FDNY EMS is always actively hiring but the hiring process has changed, we can no longer hire provisional employees they must all come off a civil service list. 

Currently we have an active list and two additional EMT and paramedics list that are waiting to be certified when they are needed. 

The hirring process is rather long, after the list is established and certified by DCAS they then start to call for interviews. The interview,background check have to first be completed and this alone can take up to six months to happened and way to many factors go into that part alone to explain the different lengths of time. 

After that has been completed your off to the medical and psychological testing which also includes a drug screening. 

Once medical cleared your off to your psychical testing. By that time hopefully all of the background check has come back and you are either offered an appointment to the department or disqualified.  

The city currently only has civil service fillings twice a year and the list can take one to or more to establish with the average around 2 years. Once the list is certified it is good for 3 years or until exhausted or the next list is establish, that why most people will file for multiple lists. 

 

[LineCapt 134]

Well, Transcare and it's parent corporation, Patriarch, as mentioned in one of the posts, has screwed New Rochelle and White Plains twice now.  First on parts and service when they ran American LaFrance into the ground with little notice, and now on their EMS contacts.

[Oaks 18]

EMStar's Press Release

Quote

· Message from CEO Joseph Zupnik, NREMTP Emstar

Bad things sometimes happen to good people. That has never been more true than what happened today to the dedicated emplo...yees of Transcare Ambulance.

The company declared bankruptcy. In just a matter of weeks it will be out of business, and Transcare’s EMTs and paramedics, who played no role in the poor business decisions that led to the bankruptcy, are now looking for jobs. We welcome you to look to us.

EMStar has established itself as a strong and stable Hudson Valley company with great potential for growth. Our mission is to ensure that Duchess, Putnam and Westchester Counties and the remainder of our coverage area receive the level of excellent service that EMStar has consistently delivered. We can be even better with additional professionals who want to help make us the premier provider of emergency medical transport in the region.

There is no joy in watching another company – even a direct competitor – go out of business. Unfortunately, some companies in the healthcare sector have made poor decisions that have ended up preventing them from providing the services they promised. By contrast, EMStar has grown smartly, created a strong base and positioned itself as a long-term viable provider in this market.
The patients who need care still must be served. To do that, we will need highly qualified people. If you fit that description please send us an email with your resume or expression of interest to Careers@EMStarAmbulance.com.
Alternatively you are also welcome to call us at (845)621-9300.
We will move as quickly as possible to review your resume, respond to expressions of interest, and add orientation classes.
I wish Transcare’s workforce well and look forward to hearing from those who want to join the EMStar team.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2016 by Oaks

[Fdnyresclt 13]

Will be very interesting to see how they can do this they don't even have a dozen ambulances. Plus I am not 100 sure the guy who bought from Hudson valley paramedic who then end up selling it or moving into Emstar because of insurance billing issue !!

[x635 4,066]

WEMS first call in North White Plains as 37-M-1

 

(Photo submitted by EMTBravo member)

 

 

[x635 4,066]

The EMT that is contracted to Briarcliff FD EMS by Transcare EMS most likely will be replaced with an EMT from OVAC. Most of the current EMT's will keep the assignment. Please note this information is tentative.

[x635 4,066]

From the Westfair Business Journal:

 

Quote

 

The company filed a petition to liquidate its assets, yesterday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York. It estimated its assets at between $10 million and $50 million and its liabilities between $50 million and $100 million.

It listed more than 4,000 potential creditors.

 

Two investment groups affiliated with Patriarch Partners III LLC, Manhattan, own 61 percent of TransCare, and several entities affiliated with Credit Suisse Asset Management own 25 percent.

 

 

[TheNewLadder32 49]

Empress was pretty busy in White Plains on their first day in the city, saw the fly car quite a few times and the ambulances going almost all day. Did Empress pick up the contract in White Plains or is it temporary ? 

[87D124 37]

The Empress contract with White Plains in temporary for the moment as per the Director of Public Safety.

[trauma74 111]

16 hours ago, Fdnyresclt said:

Will be very interesting to see how they can do this they don't even have a dozen ambulances. Plus I am not 100 sure the guy who bought from Hudson valley paramedic who then end up selling it or moving into Emstar because of insurance billing issue !!

 

 

The current owner of EMStar is not the same guy who owned and ran Hudson Valley Paramedics, which eventually became Care1 EMS. The people involved in those 2 companies have nothing to do with EMStar. EMStar has the NY Division and they have a Philadelphia Division. EMStar is part of a larger corporation that owns a series of nursing homes in NY & PA. 

 

Their NY Base is in Suffern, NY, with stations in Westchester County and Orange County. They have contracts with different medical facilities around Orange, Rockland and Westchester Counties. They also provide 911 ALS services to Cornwall & Warwick VACs and they get called mutual aid by OC911 if Mobile Life does not have units available. Since all the problems with TransCare started, EMStar has been expanding by adding more staff and more ambulances. 

[Fdnyresclt 13]

Trauma 74 , thank you I was unsure if it was the same owners or just one of those avoidance moves. I did work part time for Empire and what eventual turned into Hudson Valley Paramedics. The people running the day to day ops were some of the best people and we're proud to work with them. 

I was very said when the owners of Care 1 came in and start their unethical work practices. 

As for Emstar unless they have a significant amount of ambulances stock piled in PA they will fail. 

Everyone wants to run 911 EMS for the prestigie,that people think come with it. 

But in reality it is a huge cost loosing venture for almost all agencies. 

Remeber the main goal of commercial ambulance services is to make money. 

When your doing 911 work a large majority of the people you serve have little to know medical coverage. Thanks to Obama care and new managed care billing collections revenue has become very low. 

If Emstar comes into the 911 system I truly wish them the best of luck because as far as I am concerned Mobile life is becoming to large and is not making the national standard on response times.  Do to there system becoming  so large and over taxed, they to need to becareful not to faultier and fail. 

Anyone who believes the article in the Poughkeepsie journal that Transcare is going to be allowed to move assets from a chapter 7 company to a new company good luck with that ! I am sure that the courts we love it. 

 

Remeber at the end of the day jet one more miss manged and corrupt coperation has gone out of bussines and hundreds of people are unemployed. 

Further more the failure of yet one more provider to reneder care to people in their time of need is the worst part. What would happen if you dial 911 and know one came ??

 

[Rjsii1432 7]

Apparently Transcare HV is not making payroll today either...rumor was their employees were told at least a week late. Not good. 

[Fdnyresclt 13]

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/2016/02/25/dutchess-division-transcare-split-before-bankruptcy/80950726/

spoke to this reporter yesterday that what I told her. She insist that everything is fine and Transcare won't miss payroll or fail in the Hudson valley. 

Maybe more people should educate her, before they fire the rest of these people. 

[GreatPlains588 131]

FDNY is prepared to pick up slack after private ambulance company files for bankruptcy

http://pix11.com/2016/02/25/fdny-is-prepared-to-pick-up-slack-after-private-ambulance-company-files-for-bankruptcy/

Maybe it is just me, but how does putting CFR-D Firefighters in pick-ups solve this problem?

[SECTMB 612]

23 hours ago, x635 said:

The EMT that is contracted to Briarcliff FD EMS by Transcare EMS most likely will be replaced with an EMT from OVAC. Most of the current EMT's will keep the assignment. Please note this information is tentative.

 

Briarcliff is getting its paid EMT from OVAC.

[nfdcanman 29]

I wonder how much the CEO and other big wigs will walk away with - put lets not forget its the little guys screwing America!

[Fdnyresclt 13]

****Breaking News *****

Transcare Hudson Valley has stop all operations effective immediately in Dutchess county leaving comunites with no ambulance coverage. 

[x635 4,066]

11 hours ago, Fdnyresclt said:

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/2016/02/25/dutchess-division-transcare-split-before-bankruptcy/80950726/

spoke to this reporter yesterday that what I told her. She insist that everything is fine and Transcare won't miss payroll or fail in the Hudson valley. 

Maybe more people should educate her, before they fire the rest of these people. 

 

You called it. This article pretty much details it!

 

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/2016/02/26/county-transcare-ends-operations-ambulance-service-unaffected/81013318/

[jd783 64]

Transcare was running in Mahopac tonight at 6 pm

[x635 4,066]

Per the official Dutchess County Emergency Management Facebook page:

Quote

Dutchess County Activates Contingency Plan to Ensure
Continued Ambulance Service for Communities Served by TransCare

 

Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response (DCDER) was alerted late today by TransCare Ambulance Services that Transcare operations have immediately ceased under order from the Bankruptcy Trustee. Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro has directed a partial activation of the Dutchess County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate the implem...entation of the County’s contingency plans to ensure ambulance service coverage for community served by TransCare.

County Executive Molinaro said, “We have been aware of the situation relating to TransCare over the past several weeks and our Department of Emergency Response has worked closely with other emergency medical service organizations to develop a contingency plan to ensure continuous coverage throughout the county.”

 

Dutchess County Commissioner of Emergency Response Dana Smith and Emergency Medical Services Coordinator John Mahoney are coordinating with the Mobile Life Support Services, EMStar Ambulance, and Northern Dutchess Paramedics for the activation of the coverage plan that was crafted in January and approved by New York State Department of Health Bureau of EMS and the Hudson Valley Regional Emergency Medical Services Council. Equipment and apparatus had been previously relocated to various areas of TransCare’s coverage areas and personnel is currently being re-assigned, ensuring coverage continues without interruption.

 

The following is the listings of communities previously served by TransCare, as well as the contingency coverage now in place:

 

Community: Contingency Coverage provided by:
City of Beacon Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corp &
Mobile Life Support Services

Town of Pawling EMStar Ambulance

Town of Beekman Beekman Rescue Squad and EMStar Ambulance

Town of Wappinger Mobile Life Support Services

Union Vale Fire District Union Vale and Northern Dutchess Paramedics

Village of Millbrook Millbrook rescue Squad and
Northern Dutchess Paramedics

Town of Washington Millbrook Rescue Squad
and Northern Dutchess Paramedics

 

 

 

[x635 4,066]

TRANSCARE BANKRUPTCY COURT FILING:

 

transcare-bankruptcy.pdf

transcare2.pdf

 

[N1Medic 69]

30 minutes ago, jd783 said:

Transcare was running in Mahopac tonight at 6 pm

 

Is Transcare still covering Putnam? Or are the employees trying to cover for as long as they can until Putnam can implement a plan?

[x635 4,066]

Quote

 

STATEMENT FROM THE TOWN OF WAPPINGER ON TRANSCARE AMBULANCE

The Town of Wappinger is aware of the situation involving Transcare Ambulance. The Town Supervisor and attorneys to the town were briefed this afternoon. Town representatives are in constant communication with county and state officials and a contingency plan has been established, ensuring that the highest level of prehospital care continues to be provided to residents and visitors of the Town of Wappinger.

Lori A. J...iava, Town of Wappinger Supervisor
William H. Beale, Deputy Supervisor

 

 

[x635 4,066]

How To Help Transcare Employees?

[SR113 2]

EMStar is already in service in Beekman and Pawling. 

 

Situation currently unknown in Putnam, I heard a transcare medic sign on to a job @ 2156hrs