COLONIE — The Town Board late Thursday agreed to continue the town’s participation in state police medical flights through the end of this year, provided there is an independent audit of the program.

A survey of town residents will also be conducted to determine the level of support for the program.

All of the comments voiced during a nearly four-hour meeting were in support of extending the town Emergency Medical Service’s Lifeguard Air Rescue Program. Dozens of paramedics packed town hall, many of them wearing navy blue shirts reading “Save Colonie EMS Lifeguard Rescue.”

Many who spoke urged the Town Board to extend Lifeguard’s tenure at least for another year so that auditors could develop a better sense of the program’s costs. Others argued the program saves lives and was worth any cost it might place on the town.

“Maybe it’s a choice between right and wrong,” said Ron Baker, the town’s retired EMS chief. “And what I’m saying is that getting rid of this program is wrong.”

Jack Moser, a paramedic with the town since 1975, argued the program earned the town in excess of $169,000. He challenged board members to give the service another year to prove its worth to the town.

“Maybe it’s a positive to the community or maybe it’s a negative,” he said. “But if you’re not sure then maybe it’s time to take a step back and look at it.”

Gary Favro, a retired Troy fire captain and labor relations specialist with the United Public Service Employees Union, presented the board with more than 1,500 signatures from residents and emergency personnel asking the town to maintain the program. Favro said his union would fund an audit of the Lifeguard program if the town were to keep it for another year.

“It’s baffling to everyone why we have to be here to fight for this program.”

ADAMANT MINORITY

Supervisor Paula Mahan and town attorney Michael Magguilli made a case against staffing the medical flights piloted by the state police. Mahan argued there are two sides to the issue but the other wasn’t being heard because she hadn’t made an effort to organize them as the EMS workers had.

“They feel their tax dollars should stay in the town of Colonie,” she said.

In July, Mahan indicated the town would end the program because of concerns about costs and liability associated with the helicopter missions. The town’s involvement will officially end in September when its contract with the 60-member Colonie Emergency Medical Services expires.

Mahan argues Colonie is no longer in a financial situation to support a program that provides service for a 75-mile radius outside the town. She said the resources allocated for the program would be better used in other areas.

But the move to eliminate the 15-year-old partnership caused concern among the town’s emergency personnel. Some said the demise of the program would strip the town of a well-established program that keeps highly trained flight paramedics operating within Colonie.

Republicans on the Town Board blasted Mahan’s decision as unilateral and not in the better interests of the town. They requested the state police to wait to enter into an agreement with another entity until an official decision can be made about the program.

Mohawk Ambulance Service has agreed to staff the flights in absence of Colonie’s participation in the program. The private, for-profit company notified the state police of their intent to staff the helicopters last month.