Possible closure prompts concern

By S. ALEXANDER GEROULD Special to the OBSERVER WESTFIELD — Jim Hamilton has already seen how badly a local hospital can help in a time of need. While in Little Valley, Hamilton had a family member who needed urgent medical care. It was around the time when the hospital in Salamanca had closed, and the closest emergency room was some 20 miles away. That’s why Hamilton, who is the Village of Westfield’s electric supervisor, said it is imperative that the emergency room services at Westfield Memorial Hospital remain open. “There’s a huge difference in eight or 10 miles to 20 to 25 miles,” said Hamilton at a recent village board meeting. “This is a huge, huge issue.” Lyle Holland, Westfield Volunteer Fire Department Chief, can also see many issues arising if the emergency room is closed. “It would be very, very hard for a volunteer fire department to keep up with it,” he said. And for the thousands of residents in the surrounding communities who may require emergency services, it is just that – a huge issue. Speaking at the village board meeting, John Rawlinson, Westfield Development Corporation executive director, updated board members on the hospital’s status. “There won’t be an emergency room if we don’t rally around the hospital,” he said. “The emergency room is vital to this area. It serves a large population, and people will die if we lose our emergency room.” According to hospital officials, the New York State Department of Health is considering closing emergency room services at Westfield Memorial due to what the state believes is an overabundance of emergency rooms in the county. ‘There’s really no basis for it,” Karen Surkala, the hospital’s vice president of operations, said at a recent town board meeting. “It’s really become a political issue, and that’s why we’ve engaged the community and state Legislature.” According to Rawlinson, hospital supporters still haven’t proved to the state how eliminating emergency services would negatively impact the residents in the area. When asked what the hospital needed to show the state to prove that the services are needed, Rawlinson said he was unsure. “They (state) won’t tell you,” he said. “All these points have been made, and they’re just not listening.’ However, to show support for keeping the emergency room services open, hospital officials are urging residents to voice their support by writing to state and federal lawmakers and by visiting www.wmhsaveslives.org. At the Web site, visitors can sign letters to politicians and show their support. There is also a computer available for supporters to use at the hospital and Patterson Library. “We need your help,” Rawlinson said. “The message is there. We just have to not be complacent about this. Please don’t think someone else will take care of this. We can make a difference.” Also at the meeting, Village of Westfield Mayor Dave Carr said he and other village representatives have met with representatives from the Inner Lakes Federal Credit Union regarding a possible drive-thru teller. “They want to put a drive-thru up some place,” Carr said. “They really don’t know what they want to do yet.” Stressing that the idea is still in the beginning planning stages, Carr said a possible location for the teller could be behind the building in the parking lot. Vince Luce, village clerk, said the village has been examining ways of improving the parking facilities behind the credit union and other businesses. “We do have medium and long range plans for reorganizing that parking lot,” Luce said.