The Saratoga County EMS Council today announced recipients of the 2025 Saratoga County EMS Awards. An awards ceremony was held on September 18, 2025, at the Saratoga County Public Safety Building in Ballston Spa during a meeting of the Council.
Awards are provided to emergency services personnel and agencies who show individual or team accomplishments or heroism above and beyond the ordinary call of duty.
2025 Harriet C Weber EMS Leadership Award: Mark Freiberger
As Deputy Director of Clifton Park & Halfmoon EMS, Mark Freiberger effectively manages a large-scale operation covering 85 square miles, overseeing 92 personnel, 9 ambulances, and over 8,000 annual calls. His impact, however, extends significantly beyond his agency. Mark’s expertise in data management has become a cornerstone of operational improvement throughout Saratoga County and beyond. He has developed sophisticated dashboards for mutual aid resource management, vehicle and narcotic utilization tracking, rig checks, and personnel scheduling, benefiting numerous neighboring agencies. Most notably, during the 2024/2025 influenza season, Mark engineered an automated GPS-based data collection system across 50+ ambulances including not only Saratoga County, but two adjacent Counties to objectively track emergency department wait times. His unparalleled ability to visualize complex data and provide clear reports has armed dispatchers, crews, and administrators with actionable insights, demonstrably enhancing operational efficiencies and inter-agency cooperation. Mark’s innovative solutions have fostered a more agile, informed, and effective EMS response system across the region, directly improving service delivery and resource optimization. His unwavering dedication to harnessing the power of data and technology to drive improvements in efficiency, resource management, and ultimately, patient care, sets a new standard for excellence in EMS leadership.
2025 Advanced Life Support Provider of the Year: Anders Olsen
Anders Olsen was nominated for Paramedic of the Year for his exceptional dedication to the well-being of his fellow EMS professionals, a commitment that extends far beyond his outstanding clinical accomplishments. Recognizing the significant stressors faced by first responders, Anders proactively sought training with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and became a vital founding member of the Saratoga County First Responder Peer Support Team. His foresight and initiative in addressing the mental health needs of his colleagues, even before widespread recognition, demonstrate a profound sense of responsibility and leadership. Anders consistently acts on his commitment, volunteering his time to provide critical incident stress debriefings for multiple agencies and countless individual support sessions. His proactive approach and tangible actions, rather than mere acknowledgment of the problem, distinguish him as a true advocate for the EMS community. Anders’ unwavering dedication to the often-unseen burdens of this profession makes him an exemplary candidate for the advanced life support provider of the year award. Anders’ proactive efforts have demonstrably improved the mental and emotional well-being of his peers, fostering a more resilient and supportive EMS environment within Saratoga County and beyond. His actions have not only relieved immediate distress but have also built pathways to long-term care, leaving an enduring positive impact on the lives and careers of numerous EMS professionals.
Mark Freiberger (left) accepts the Harriet Weber 2025 EMS Leadership Award