News & Announcements

Saratoga County Public Health and Saratoga Hospital will conduct a Pandemic Preparedness Drill at the Wilton Medical Arts (Staples Building) on Route 50 in Wilton Monday, December 18th from 2 pm until 7 pm. To test Public Health ability to rapidly vaccinate a population, the County is offering flu vaccines to all Saratoga County EMS, Fire, and Law Enforcement personnel at no cost. Agencies and departments should call the hospital at 583-8436 or email to tbrooks@saratogacare.org with a head count to assist in preparations for the drill.

EMS Coordinator Mike McEvoy plans to distribute Burn Kits provided by the New York State Department of Health at the December 11th meeting of the Saratoga County EMS Council. One kit for each ambulance will be provided to each agency submitting a listing of NIMS training completed by their personnel (see NIMS information below). A list of member names, job title, and NIMS course numbers completed can be emailed to McEvoy at mcevoymike@aol.com or brought to the December 11th meeting at the Fire Training Center in Ballston Spa.

Four additional sessions have been added to the EMT Core Pilot Refresher Program: Geriatrics on 11/28, and Bariatrics on 12/12. In addition, Saratoga County EMS will host a 6-hour WMD Awareness Course (FEMA Course # AWR-160) taught by DOH on Tuesday, 12/5/06 and Thursday, 12/7/06 from 7-10 PM at the Saratoga County Fire Training Center (6010 County Farm Road, Ballston Spa NY 12020). There is no cost to attend the WMD program and pre-registration is not required. DOH approved pilot refresher credit will be awarded. Further information can be obtained by calling the Course Coordinator, Joyce Eichorst at (518) 581-9409. For additional information on the Core Pilot program schedule additions, click here.

Retired NYSP Trooper Bob Faugh, a nationally known Emergency Driving Instructor will teach an EVOC Course the weekend of November 4, 2006. The classroom portion will run on Saturday, Nov 4 from 8 am until 4 pm and the driving portion will be scheduled in blocks on Sunday, Nov 5. To register, email Bob Faugh at bfaugh@rochester.rr.com. Preregistration is required; there is no cost to take the class. Contact Bob Faugh with questions either by email or by phone at 585-533-1892. NOTE: Class location has been moved to South Glens Falls Fire Dept. Station # 2 (I-87 north to Exit 17N to Route 197 then head East for 3/4 mile).

To allow responders at all levels to work together more effectively, the Federal Government mandated States and localities move towards NIMS (National Incident Management System) compliance starting this year (2005). The first in a series of deadlines hits on October 1st, 2005 when anyone involved in response or incident management should have completed IS-700 (the NIMS Introductory Course). The carrot attached to NIMS compliance is future WMD dollars that will only go to NIMS compliant municipalities. Saratoga County directly benefits from WMD dollars in State MCI training and supplies, drills (which in the future should fund EMS agency staffing costs), the new Communications van just acquired by the County Sheriff’s Dept., multiple public health initiatives including caches of bio and chemical antidotes and preparation for mass vaccination programs, as well as thousands of dollars in PPE soon to be distributed to departments that have requested it. To assure that Saratoga County continues to work effectively with outside agencies and gets all available state and federal support, EMS providers are strongly encouraged to get with the NIMS! Click here to learn more about NIMS. Take the IS-700 course online at no cost by clicking here.