With the semester starting August 25th, Williams College and Village Ambulance Service, Inc. have reached an agreement to provide on-call transportation for students needing to get to non-emergent medical appointments.The move follows the March closure of nearby North Adams Regional Hospital and the opening of a satellite emergency facility at the site.
Williams College will pay for two new wheelchair-capable vans, the hiring of drivers and operational costs. Vice President of Campus Life Steve Klass says campus safety was making more trips for non-emergent student appointments even before North Adams Regional Hospital closed, about 1,000 per academic year.
“This also doesn’t count the other rides that were being given by athletic trainers, nurses at our health center or students who were doing friends a favor,” said Klass.
The service is expected to begin August 18th. More than 2,000 students attend the Williamstown campus located five miles from the former North Adams Regional Hospital, 13 miles from Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and 20 miles from Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield.
