New provider, but much about
ambulance service remains the same

By Peggie Williams

___ For the first time in more than 65 years, ambulance service to the Dillsburg area will not be run by a Dillsburg entity. On November 12 at 6 a.m. Holy Spirit Emergency Medical Services will replace Dillsburg EMS, a part of Citizens Hose Company No. 1, as primary responder for the Northern York County area.
___ But Paul Christophel of Holy Spirit EMS wants to assure everyone that the only changes they will see are the color of the ambulance and the uniforms on the responders.
___ At the beginning of the year, Christophel visited the seven municipalities of the Northern School District to offer a different type of service that was meant to save them money while still supplying their residents with outstanding emergency medical services. Because HSEMS is a for-profit business, townships will be billed by the call. This is a quantifiable number that should not fluctuate too much from year to year, he said. Municipalities will no longer have to live with the uncertainty of large donation requests for major repairs and replacement of equipment needed by the volunteer, not-for-profit organization they were using, he said.

Firemen were quick to put out a chimney fire before it spread to the rest of the house on Quarry Road, Warrington Township, Monday, Oct. 30 at 12:32 a.m. Dillsburg Citizens Hose Fire Chief Scott McClintock with the help of firefighters Jon Altland, with Dillsburg, and Frank Wirth Jr., with Monaghan Fire Company, quickly set up ladders to get to the chimney. The steep slope of the roof created a dangerous situation compounded by a light rain and falling temperatures. Fire companies from Dillsburg, Franklintown, Monaghan, Wellsville, Upper Allen, Fairview Township and Dover responded. In photo, McClintock inspects the chimney as firefighters secure the ladders.

Photo by Curt Werner