POUGHKEEPSIE — Sue Serino, Dutchess County Executive, announced a $2 million investment in emergency medical services before the release of the 2025 executive budget.
This funding will be used to support the launch of ambulance coverage, a public awareness campaign and to address the workforce shortage the county has been faced with recently.
The county plans on partnering with municipalities to set in motion the supplemental ambulance coverage program, hoping to improve emergency medical service reliability and response time with commercial providers. This program intends to provide relief to the county and improve medical service provider diversity with competitive costs. With more competition in the mix, municipalities could potentially lower their service costs.
Dutchess County is also working on recruiting more staff and attracting job seekers to the field, along with implementing first responder resiliency training and peer-to-peer support network for the mental and emotional well-being of first responders.
The $2 million investment is a temporary aid in the long term search for solutions to the growing EMS cost crisis in Dutchess County.
Sue Serino had previously released an outline of the EMS crisis in March. She met with the Department of Emergency Response, supervisors, mayors, municipality representatives and other professionals to find effective solutions.
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