News & Announcements

The Office of Emergency Services will hold an informational meeting on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 starting at 7:00 pm at the Hyatt located at Exit 12 and Rte 67 in Malta. Representatives from each EMS agency are encouraged to attend to learn more about the final phase of the new radio project, see actual radio equipment, and learn about the timeline for completion of the new radio system for Saratoga County. RSVPs are required to OES at (518) 885-2232. Click here for a flyer with additional details about the meeting.

Saratoga Hospital’s second annual EMS Recognition Evening will be hosted at the Gideon Putnam Hotel and Resort on Thursday, October 8th. RSVPs are required. Click here for an invite.

Saratoga County is offering both seasonal and H1N1 influenza vaccinations to EMS, Fire, and Law Enforcement members through our POD (Point Of Distribution) system. Members (and high risk family members aged 19 or older) who registered to attend one of the PODs (registration closed Friday, November 6th) should attend:

• November 10th (Tues) – Moreau EMS (4-8 pm)
• November 17th (Tues) – Clifton Park-Halfmoon Ambulance (4-8 pm)
• November 19th (Thurs) – Community Emergency Corps (Ballston Spa, 4-8 pm)

Here are some resources: Updated Question and Answer sheet about the PODs

Both live nasal spray seasonal vaccine and injectable (shot in the arm) inactivated seasonal flu vaccine will be available to emergency responders, both free of charge. Click here for information on the nasal spray seasonal vaccine and click here for information on the attenuated injectable seasonal flu vaccine. H1N1 vaccine is all injectable (shot in the arm) click here for the information sheet about the H1N1 vaccine.

The planned cut of EMS communications with Dispatch from the current 155.925 MHz to the EMS Ops 154.355 frequency has been completed. We have contacted as many mutual aid agencies as possible to advise them of the need to modify their radios. Click here for a copy of the notice distributed by the EMS Council on the cut over. It would be helpful to review your radio inventory and also check with your MA agencies to assure that all equipment has been reprogrammed and is operational on the new frequencies.

Participants in the Countywide ALS Intercept Agreement initially effected in 2004 have been notified that the Saratoga County EMS Council will rescind the agreement effective June 1, 2009. Originally effected to facilitate ALS Intercepts and payment between services for patient care, changes in Medicare and billing requirements have negated the effectiveness of the agreement. Participants have been advised to obtain individual agreements with each agency they intercept with. A sample agreement template based on the earlier Countywide agreement has been posted here and in the downloads section of the Council website for use by individual agencies.