News & Announcements

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.

The Law Dogs Motorcycle Club will lead a motorcycle ride Saturday September 9, 2006 in support of two NYS Troopers ambushed in Western NY trying to locate and safely apprehend Ralph “Bucky” Phillips. Trooper Joseph Longobardo of Ballston Spa died Sunday, September 3rd. Trooper Donald Baker, Jr. of Clifton Park remains in serious condition. The ride is intended to demonstrate concern for our brother and sister Law Enforcement Officers and disgust with those hindering apprehension of this CRIMINAL who is suspected in attempts to take the lives of three NYS Troopers to date. All are invited to join the Law Dogs, whether on motorcycle, truck, car, plane, or bus. Show YOUR support for the Troopers fighting for their lives as well as Law Enforcement Officers desperately searching to bring this fugitive to justice! You need not be of any public safety affiliation to join this ride. Donations will be accepted. Please pass the word – we hope to have a large turn out. Any questions, contact Stan De Long, Road Captain at OESFIVE@AOL.COM. Download the NYSP wanted poster for Phillips by clicking here.

As announced last fall, EMS personnel had until this September (2006) to complete NIMS (National Incident Management System) training appropriate to their role in their agency. First line personnel without supervisory duties should have completed IS 700, IS 800, and ICS 100. Crew chiefs, middle management personnel, and field supervisors should also have completed ICS 200. Managers, Chiefs, Captains, and other agency leaders should (by the end of 2007) also complete ICS 300 and ICS 400. DOH Policy Statement # 06-05 outlines NIMS, sources of training (much of which is available as on-line self study programs) and DOH recommendations for getting your agency up to snuff on NIMS. Click here for the PDF version of 06-05. FEMA is unable to provide numbers of personnel having completed the various courses by county (go figure). To assist the Saratoga County Office of Emergency Services to stay abreast of County EMS agencies completion of NIMS training, agencies are asked to provide numbers of members who have completed each of the NIMS requirements to County EMS Coordinator Mike McEvoy (mcevoymike@aol.com).

The Saratoga County Fair kicks off Tuesday, July 18th and will run through Sunday, July 23rd. EMS staffing is needed from 9 am through midnight each day. Annually, EMS providers donate countless hours to cover special events during evenings weekends and to staff the EMS clinic and response teams on site continuously each day. All levels of providers from CFR through Paramedics are needed this year and ambulances are needed on site each evening from 6 pm through midnight. Loans of equipment including portable O2 cylinders with regulators, non-wooden LBBs, and portable suction units are also needed. Interested individuals and agencies are encouraged to contact either Jeff Reisner (phone 885-4587, email JBR97@aol.com) or Stan DeLong (phone 885-5381, ext 2201, email G906T@aol.com). An informational meeting will be held in early June for those interested in participating. Consider having a great time while helping make the County Fair a safe event for your family and neighbors!