Ontario County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jack Marren asked other county lawmakers to stand-up against Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive order authorizing the National Guard to remove ventilators from Upstate hospitals.
He’s not the first, nor last to criticize the order, which some say puts local hospitals at risk.
“I am not being cold-hearted,” Marren said to the Health and Human Services Committee. “We have to take into the equation our own people and be prepared for a tidal wave of this virus hitting our own county.”
Law enforcement began receiving calls from angry residents as soon as the executive order was announced.
While local hospital systems haven’t voiced public opposition to the move yet, Marren told the Committee he spoke with UR Medicine Thompson Health President Michael Stapleton, according to MPNNow.com. Marren said Stapleton confided that in a conference call with hospitals, Governor Cuomo was ‘very strong’ and “he actually was very threatening.”
The short answer: If hospitals didn’t comply – he would move to revoke their permits.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Kevin Henderson says there’s some cause for concern with gun sales being at an all-time high.
Hospitals in Ontario County had some equipment to help the downstate cause, but there isn’t an overabundance at any local hospital.
Patrols have increased around the areas hospitals, according to Ontario County’s law enforcement agencies.
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.