News & Announcements

Round the clock ambulance coverage at the Mohawk Tire Recycling yard (abandoned) on Schoolhouse Lane next to the GE Silicones plant in Waterford was discontinued on 3-12-02 at 8:30 am. The site burned from Saturday (March 9) until Tuesday (March 12). The Waterford Rescue Squad is extremely appreciative of all the agencies that provided mutual aid assistance to stand by at the scene.  The Saratoga EMS Council presented an award to the dedicated members of the Waterford Rescue Squad for their excellence at the May 2nd meeting of the Squad.

The outpouring of concern and willingness to help expressed by the Emergency Medical Services of Saratoga County is commendable. The NYS Health Department has expressed their thanks to all of you for your efforts: DOH Letter. For information on the Task Force operation and the Corps that participated in standing by, please click here: Task Force Schedule. We join hands with all Americans and our many friends throughout the world to pay tribute to those who have lost or risk their own lives to save others. If you would like to help honor our fallen EMS brothers and sisters, please join in sending an email to the Governor and our Legislators asking them to expedite the creation of an EMS Line of Duty Death Memorial. This legislation has been defeated repeatedly for several years, and again stalled in the Legislature.

In conjunction with the County Fire Coordinator and County EMS Coordinator, several Weapons of Mass Destruction training courses were offered starting in February 2002. The courses were OFPC Courses for which participants also received REMO Continuing Education Credits. There was no preregistration required and no charge for Saratoga County EMS and Fire Department members. Click here for a complete list of WMD Courses.

Starting in February 2002, EMT’s in New York State are required to report or cause a report to be made when they (acting in their professional or official capacity) have reason to believe that a child is abused or neglected. The Bureau of EMS has issued a policy statement (#02-01) to help you comply with this new law. The policy statement and attachments make an excellent training tool. Read the text of the law here: Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse. To assist Corps and Fire Departments in Policy development, Mike McEvoy (Saratoga County EMS Coordinator) has written 2 sample policies on Reporting of Child Abuse; one for Transporting Ambulance Services and one for Fire Department First Response Services: (policies below reflect June 2002 revisions)

• Reporting Suspected Child Abuse SOP – Ambulance
• Reporting Suspected Child Abuse SOP – BLSFR (First Response Services)
• Attachment DSS-2221A.pdf (needed to accompany both of the above SOP’s)

In December 2001, County EMS Coordinator Mike McEvoy requested a determination from the NYS Health Dept. Bureau of EMS on whether a finger-stick for the purpose of blood glucose determination is within the scope of practice of an EMT-Basic in New York State. The was prompted by conflicting information between the Bureau of EMS and another State Health Department agency: the Clinical Lab Evaluation Program at Wadsworth Center who issues registration numbers to ambulance corps (among other medical groups and offices) to perform laboratory testing. In August 2002, McEvoy received a response from Ed Wronski, Director of the Bureau of EMS indicating that performing a finger-stick is not within the scope of practice of an EMT-Basic in New York.