EDITORIAL NOTE: A Sept. 15 news article titled “SOMAC Slated to Close January 2024, Student Volunteers Express Concern” inaccurately reported the definitive closure of the Southern Madison County Ambulance Corps (SOMAC) in January 2024. The validity of this assertion and assertions also made in this article, including a lack of funding, have not yet been confirmed at this time by The Colgate Maroon-News. The Colgate Maroon-News regrets not including statements from Colgate University and the Madison County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Madison County EMS in an earlier version of this story that ran on Sept. 15. The Colgate Maroon-News retracts any unconfirmed claims in full and apologizes for any confusion.
In response to a now retracted September 15 news article titled “SOMAC Slated to Close January 2024, Student Volunteers Express Concern” that inaccurately represented funding concerns at the Southern Madison County Ambulance Corps (SOMAC), the Madison County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Madison County EMS issued a statement noting that they have had discussions “for over a year” with SOMAC about how to best serve the Hamilton community and Colgate University moving forward.
The organizations have also discussed the potential of bringing services from Madison County EMS into Hamilton.
“No decisions have been made yet, and if Madison County EMS were to come into the area, the top goal would be to provide coverage for all of the residents, students, and visitors to Hamilton,” the statement read.
Colgate University, which receives services from SOMAC, also issued a statement noting that they are aware of the reported concerns at the non-profit agency.
“While final decisions have not been made, representatives of the Madison County Office of Emergency Management have met with the SOMAC board and presented a viable and sustainable option for expanding county EMS services to the Towns of Hamilton and Lebanon,” the statement from the University read.
SOMAC similarly noted in a statement that their organization “continues to work with Madison County reviewing options for the future of emergency ambulance services in the greater Hamilton area.”
SOMAC has supported the Village of Hamilton since 1986 when the town was left without an ambulance service. With paid staff members and dozens of student volunteers, SOMAC provides 24/7 service to Hamilton and the Colgate University community.
Student volunteers have expressed their concerns and hope that SOMAC will continue to function as normal.
Junior Aleza Falk noted that SOMAC has been one of the most important parts of her Colgate experience.
“The SOMAC community is so strong,” Falk said. “I can always reach out to other students in the program for mentorship. Since many other student EMTs are interested in pre-health, we always share advice. SOMAC brings together all types of students who I would never have crossed paths with elsewhere.”
Senior Alex Schade came to Colgate with an EMT license and an intended history and music major. Within three weeks of joining SOMAC, he switched to pre-med.
“This is probably the best clinical experience you could possibly have,” Schade said. “You are not only a student, but you are a first responder. It’s also a big family.”
Both statements from Colgate and the Madison County OEM and Madison County EMS highlighted the relevance of SOMAC’s student volunteer program, including the continued desire to maintain the opportunity.
“Colgate has long valued its community partnership with SOMAC, and we look forward to working with the county should a decision be made to provide emergency ambulance services in our area while identifying new opportunities for students to continue, and even increase, the type of volunteer opportunities available to them,” the University’s statement read.
“[…] Madison County EMS believes there is a great value to continuing the student volunteer program from Colgate,” the statement from the Madison County Office of Emergency Management and Madison County EMS read. “Not only are the students learning from their experiences, the community is benefiting from them staffing the ambulances, and the EMS system as a whole can learn from them as well.”
Full statement issued by the Madison County Office of Emergency Management and Madison County EMS:
“Madison County Office of Emergency Management and Madison County EMS appreciate and understand that there is concern about the future of Southern Madison County Ambulance Corps (SOMAC). Madison County EMS has been working with SOMAC, as well as other EMS agencies in Madison County for over a year to address their concerns and difficulties. Recently Madison County EMS and other agencies have had discussions with SOMAC to better understand what they need to be able to better serve the community which includes Hamilton and Colgate University. Those discussions are still ongoing. No decisions have been made yet, and if Madison County EMS were to come into the area, the top goal would be to provide coverage for all of the residents, students, and visitors to Hamilton. We understand that this would include sports events, student events and other local events. Also, Madison County EMS believes there is a great value to continuing the student volunteer program from Colgate. Not only are the students learning from their experiences, the community is benefiting from them staffing the ambulances, and the EMS system as a whole can learn from them as well. Again, nothing has been decided about Madison County EMS coming into the SOMAC territory. We continue to value the great work SOMAC does for our community.”
Full statement issued by Colgate University:
The University is aware of ongoing concerns that impact the future of the Southern Madison County Volunteer Ambulance Corps (SOMAC). While final decisions have not been made, representatives of the Madison County Office of Emergency Management have met with the SOMAC board and presented a viable and sustainable option for expanding county EMS services to the Towns of Hamilton and Lebanon. During that presentation and in subsequent conversations, the county expressed interest in continuing the University’s student EMT volunteer program. Colgate has long valued its community partnership with SOMAC, and we look forward to working with the county should a decision be made to provide emergency ambulance services in our area while identifying new opportunities for students to continue, and even increase, the type of volunteer opportunities available to them.
Full statement issued by the Southern Madison County Ambulance Corps:
Southern Madison County Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Inc., (SOMAC), continues to work with Madison County reviewing options for the future of emergency ambulance services in the greater Hamilton area. A further statement will be forthcoming.
