As of April 30, the Mahoning Valley Ambulance Association will no longer provide EMS coverage to the Weatherly, Packer and surrounding areas.

“Financial barriers and staffing dilemmas have created circumstances that make it unfeasible to remain in two areas,” said Paul Waddell Jr., assistant director of operations for Mahoning Valley Ambulance Association. “For the remainder of our time there, services will be limited. This is a decision we didn’t want to have to make but has ultimately come to.”

Waddell said Mahoning will provide service to all of those areas until April 30.

“The plan is to remain in service covering Mahoning Township and surrounding areas beyond April 30,” he said. “The coverage for Weatherly will be at the discretion of who the borough appoints.”

Representatives from Tamaqua Community Ambulance, Penn Mahoning and Mahoning Valley Ambulance Association attended a West Penn Township board of supervisors meeting earlier this month.

Waddell said that Tamaqua and Mahoning Valley expressed concerns at that time regarding finances due to assisting in covering 911 calls for West Penn.

Last month, Robert Miller, treasurer of the Mahoning Valley Ambulance Association, appeared at a Mahoning Township board of supervisors meeting and said the organization could use financial support, and was in search of suggestions.

Miller cited the high costs of fuel, electric, and insurance among the driving factors, and noted that all the ambulance corps are affected.

Miller said he attended the meeting to ask for the board’s ideas.

Earlier this month, representatives from Tamaqua Ambulance Association attended Coaldale’s Borough Council meeting to ask the borough to consider its support.

Tamaqua Ambulance Association serves the boroughs of Tamaqua and Coaldale, along with the townships of Rush, Schuylkill and Walker. It also provides mutual aid to West Penn and Ryan townships.