After months of consideration, Lowhill Township supervisors have decided to use the services of both Cetronia and Northern Valley ambulance corps to best meet the needs of residents.

During their Feb. 5 meeting, supervisors ironed out a resolution to be voted on at their March meeting.

In the aftermath of the much-talked-about closure of Northwestern Ambulance, the need to provide new ambulance service has been a widely debated topic in local townships.

Lowhill residents had been served by all three EMS providers, Northwestern, NOVA and Cetronia, depending upon which station was closest.

"We are just looking at finalizing essentially the township's ambulance coverage," Township Administrator Brian Carl said. "Northwestern ceased operation Jan. 17, so Cetronia has essentially taken over their portion."

According to Carl, in light of all the newly established units covering Lynn and Heidelberg townships, Lowhill is basically surrounded by ambulances.

The task is determining the best coverage for each area within the 14-square-mile township.

Carl presented supervisors with a map. And, in a joint effort, representatives from Cetronia, NOVA and the board re-delineated boundaries by using the closest unit to specific points on the map.

The new arrangement will roughly split the township in half, with NOVA covering the north and northwestern regions, and Cetronia serving the southern portions.

"We want to give our residents the best coverage," Vice Chairman George Wessner Jr. said.

This was a sentiment echoed by the entire board.

Executive Director of Northern Valley EMS Joseph Solderich outlined the location of its ambulances.

"Right now, we have a truck at Northwestern's station 71," Solderich said. "However, in the next 10 days or so it's going to move over to the Heidelberg Municipal Township Building.

"Our north truck is up in Slatington and our south trucks are in Ormrod."

Cetronia's units have been in place in Lynn, Weisenberg and Upper Macungie, said Cetronia CEO Larry Wiersch.

"We've been doing it [covering Lowhill] essentially all along," he said.

In new business matters, the Rural Preservation Association requested 8 a.m.-noon April 11, for the yearly spring clean-up day. The date was approved by the board.