Old Forge Volunteer Ambulance Corps., in partnership with Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS), received a $400,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) for rural emergency medical services (EMS) training in Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties. The grant awards $200,000 the first year and $200,000 for the second year of the grant funding period.
The purpose of this program is to recruit and train EMS personnel in rural areas with a particular focus on addressing substance use disorders (SUD) and co-occurring disorders (COD) substance use and mental disorders.
“The goal is to address service gaps and enhance the delivery of emergency medical services,” said Danielle Hoepfl, chief of the Old Forge Volunteer Ambulance Corps. “The need for comprehensive training and technical assistance for EMS staff serving rural areas within Oneida, Herkimer and Madison Counties is imperative.”
While the year-round population of towns like Webb, Forestport, Boonville, Inlet and Raquette Lake totals approximately 7,500, this number can surge to 30,000 or more during peak tourist seasons, adding strain to the healthcare system and emergency services in those areas.
Data from Public-Safety Answering Points (PSAP) 911 Centers in Herkimer, Madison and Oneida counties reveals a significant increase in emergency call volume from 2019 to 2023:
- Herkimer County: 13.54% increase, with emergency call volumes rising from 2,142 in 2019 to 2,432 in 2023.
- Oneida County: 20.57% increase, with emergency call volumes escalating from 3,806 in 2019 to 4,589 in 2023.
- Madison County: 31.96%, with emergency call volumes increasing from 1026 in 2019 to 1354 in 2023.
“As a committed partner, we will work with Old Forge Volunteer Ambulance Corp. to plan, develop and implement the EMS training program,” said Darlene Stromstad, FACHE, president and CEO of MVHS. “Our expertise in education and healthcare will be leveraged to assist with the design of the curriculum, training modules and evaluation frameworks tailored to meet the unique needs of rural EMS providers and communities.”
Training will be available in-person, online and through virtual/augmented reality programming with specific focus on substance abuse and mental health issues starting in 2025.
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