Dutchess County Celebrates EMS Week, Advocates for Support

Dutchess County Celebrates EMS Week,
Advocates for Support from State Leaders

May is EMS Week is a time to celebrate, and advocate for, the first responders who provide critical Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in our community. “We are incredibly grateful for the professionalism and dedication of all those in EMS who are providing life-saving service. Now more than ever, they need our support and advocacy to develop real solutions to the EMS crisis and that is our top priority,” said Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino.

Nationally, as well as here in Dutchess County, EMS is facing unprecedented challenges as fewer people enter the field, while demand for service continues to rise. Staffing shortages, slower response times, and dramatically rising costs are all among the challenges County Executive Sue Serino is working to address in collaboration with local municipalities, fire and ambulance districts and the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response. This multi-faceted approach effort has included workforce support with Mental Health training and First Responder Resiliency training; seeking supplemental contract service to address service coverage gaps; and advocacy with state and federal representatives for grant opportunities and calls for critical legislation to address, including her most recent letter (seen below) to New York State Governor and local state representatives, which was co-signed by more than a dozen local supervisors and mayors.

Jeffrey Renihan, Chief of the New Hamburg Fire District, said, “When it comes to an emergency, minutes count, and right now, our communities are struggling to find the resources needed to respond to calls. Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino is leading the charge on the local level to find out-of-the-box solutions to solve this crisis, but we need our representatives to on the State level to join us in advocating for legislations that can make a real difference in saving lives. There is a lack of people entering this critical field and we need to be all hands-on deck to make improvements.”