The Ambulance Service of Fulton County has laid off 55 of its 60 employees amid a dire financial outlook.
The Daily Gazette reports the service was forced to shut down late Friday when it could not pay employees or insurance bills.
ASFC CEO Roy Sweet told the newspaper several factors have stressed the company including a large percentage of low-paying Medicaid ambulance calls, a 20 percent decrease in calls over the last two years, and too many zero payment calls.
Local officials reportedly reached an agreement with the New York State Department of Health to relax territory rules to temporarily allow other regional ambulance companies to fill the need for services.
