FISHKILL – A staff of four EMTs work at Dutchess Stadium (The Duch) to provide medical treatment to attendees, players, and everyone else at events at the park.
Hudson Valley Renegades President Steve Gliner recognizes the importance of the EMTs at the stadium. “Our stadium EMS team is the absolute best,” he said. “Abby Brennan, DeAnna Wiese, Chuck Foster, and Skip Thela all provide top-notch care to our guests who may need assistance at Renegades games or other stadium events. They are true professionals and we are lucky to have them as part of our team.”
Chief EMT Charles “Chuck” Foster has been providing coverage at the stadium for 16 years. He also serves as an EMT with the Marbletown First Aid Squad in Ulster County. When Foster started with the Renegades, the medical treatment took place under a pop-up tent inside the gates of “The Dutch”. During the 2020 season, the group of EMTs, supervised by Foster, moved into a small shed just inside the season-ticket holder gate.
The upgraded quarters give the EMTs an opportunity to treat patients out of view of the general public and it also houses everything they need to triage patients who need more serious care. The EMTs banded together and bought sheathing and paint to finish the inside of the shed after it was placed.
The unit has an upgraded air conditioner mounted on the wall that was provided by the Renegades. Assistant Chief EMT Skip Thela said the upgraded air conditioner was provided after Renegades President Steve Gliner was visiting the EMT station and noted that the old cooling system was inadequate. “Within days we had a new air conditioner thanks to Mr. Gliner,” Thela said. “It has been a major upgrade.”
With the Renegades being a “High-A” affiliate of the New York Yankees, Thela and his wife used their money to buy “Yankee Gray” and “Yankee Blue” paint from a home improvement store and painted the interior of the aid station in the team colors. Thela has been serving as an EMT at the stadium for 11 years and also volunteers with the East Fishkill Rescue Squad two days per week.
The EMTs work for Dutchess Stadium and Chief Foster is responsible for hiring the care providers. “I do this because I enjoy the people and the stadium,” he said. “We put people at ease just by being here.”
During his tenure, Foster said his biggest calls for service at the stadium have been two cardiac arrests and a child who suffered a head injury. “We treated the child and had to arrange for him to be airlifted to a trauma center for additional treatment.” He also noted that he is already gearing up for next year’s Renegades season. The first home game is on April 7, 2023.
