Merger to give EMS crews more opportunity

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - Emergency management services in rural areas face plenty of challenges. That’s why two organizations are merging to create more of an opportunity for north country EMS crews.

The Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, based in Watertown, and Mountain Lakes Regional Emergency Medical Services, located north of Albany, will combine their EMS program agencies.

Starting on July 1, the merger will help to provide more resources and educational opportunities to local fire departments, non-profits, and commercial ambulance providers across the 8 counties that are covered.

“It’s been in the back of our minds for some time now and we are just excited to be able to move forward with this because we feel we are going to able to support the agencies through enhanced education and services that will help them,” said FDRHPO North Country EMS Program Agency Director Ann Smith.

EMS Program Agencies across the state are responsible for providing continuous quality improvement, policy and regulatory guidance, EMS training and credentialing, technical support, and more to each of the individual EMS agencies within their respective regions.

North Country EMS Program Agency currently provides this support to more than 75 EMS agencies in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties.

Mountain Lakes EMS Program Agency currently provides this support to more than 100 EMS agencies in a five-county region, including the counties of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Warren, and Washington.

The newly merged EMS Program Agency will maintain its presence in both North Country and Mountain Lakes regions.

The number of employees between the two agencies will remain unchanged when the merger is complete, and all will be employees of FDRHPO.

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