TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – The Arlington Fire District is receiving a grant in the amount of $770,000 through the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant program.
Funds will be used to send Arlington firefighter/EMTs to paramedic training, enabling them to become certified as state firefighter/paramedics. The grant requires a local contribution of 10 percent, with the remaining $700,000 coming directly from the federal government.
“Providing high-quality emergency medical services to the community is a critical part of our mission. We typically treat more than 500 patients every month in Arlington and provide a highly skilled team of responders to the patient with an average response time of about 4½ minutes district-wide. Maintaining a roster of certified firefighter/paramedics is central to maintaining this level of service,” said Fire Chief William Steenbergh.
Staffing, according to the chief, is critical in serving the community. “Recent promotions and retirements have reduced the number of our paramedics to an unacceptably low level. This grant will allow us to send 10 of our experienced firefighter/EMTs to a 1,400+ hour paramedic certification training program. The 15-month training program will culminate in certification by the State Department of Health,” Steenbergh said. “Paramedics represent the highest level of pre-hospital care possible, through the administration of IV medications, advanced airway procedures, 12-lead cardiac monitoring, and other medical treatments previously only available in hospital Emergency Departments. “
