The volunteer ambulance organization, which served 3,000 residents in the borough and covered a small part of East Donegal Township, shut down operations in January due to a lack in volunteers.

A core group of eight to 10 people volunteered for the association.

SVEMS has been providing emergency services to the borough for six months and the decision seems like a natural step, said Scott Ryno, assistant director. "We will continue to provide service, it will just no longer be under the name of Marietta Ambulance."

Although SVEMS will not have a station in Marietta, Ryno said the Columbia station is located three miles from Marietta and the average response time to the borough is approximately four minutes.

Volunteer ambulance organizations have up to six minutes to arrive on the scene before an additional ambulance is called, so there will be no difference in the time it takes for an ambulance to respond, Ryno said.

Calls can also be dispatched to the SVEMS station in Mount Joy, located four miles from Marietta. SVEMS also has stations in Landisville, Rohrerstown and East Petersburg. Based on a two-person household, nearly 38,000 residents, including Marietta Borough are served by SVEMS.