Oswego County celebrates the 49th annual National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week May 21 through 27 in recognition of the providers who deliver emergency pre-hospital medical care for people throughout our communities.

“This year’s theme, ‘Where Emergency Care Begins,’ symbolizes so much more than just being part of the first response to emergencies,” said Oswego County Emergency Medical Services Field Coordinator Nathaniel Degear. “It reflects the vital role EMS has in the healing process for many individuals. EMS is imperative in ensuring our community members receive the best possible medical care in the most critical moments.”

Oswego County Emergency Management Director Cathleen Palmitesso added, “EMS workers are vital in improving the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury. Oswego County’s EMS workers are dedicated to providing compassionate, life-saving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

The EMS system includes emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers and physicians. Both career and volunteer providers complete thousands of hours of specialized training and continuing education to ensure they can continue to provide high quality care with improved life-saving procedures.

Seven ambulance services provide pre-hospital care to the public from dispatch through the Oswego County E-911 Center to transport to Oswego Hospital and hospitals in Onondaga and other adjacent counties. They include both for-profit and not-for profit agencies and are staffed by paid and volunteer EMTs.

These agencies include Menter Ambulance, Donald McFee Memorial Ambulance, Northern Oswego County Ambulance (NOCA), North Shore Volunteer Ambulance, Oswego City Fire Department and Student Association Volunteer Ambulance Corps (SAVAC) at SUNY Oswego. Brewerton Fire Department Ambulance, based in Onondaga County, also serves residents in the southern end of the town of Hastings.

Over 500 EMTs respond to roughly 2,000 calls a week, with many providers working for multiple agencies. “EMS crews have responded to an increased 911 call volume since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Degear said. “Moreover, they continue to face challenging calls with mental health issues and others.”

More information on emergency medical services training in Oswego County is available by calling 315- 326-6056.

EMTS PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE DRILL – Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) from Donald McFee Ambulance and Northern Oswego County Ambulance (NOCA) participated in a mock-DWI exercise at Altmar-Parish-Williamstown High School on May 10. The drill is aimed at showing high school students the dangers of driving while impaired or distracted. Join Oswego County in celebrating EMS Week May 21–27.