09/03/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kerhonkson-Accord First Aid Squad Highlights the Critical Importance of Community Donations and Government Support
KERHONKSON, N.Y. — September 3, 2026 — When someone calls 911, they expect an ambulance staffed with qualified emergency medical professionals to arrive...regardless of the time, the weather, the patient’s insurance coverage, or the financial condition of the ambulance service responding.
For small, private, not-for-profit charitable ambulance organizations such as Kerhonkson-Accord First Aid Squad, meeting that expectation has become increasingly difficult.
Although we provide an essential public-safety service, we are not a government agency and do not receive unlimited taxpayer funding. We receive payment through ambulance billing and contracts for services, but those revenues do not cover the full cost of maintaining a dependable emergency response system. Contract funding does not cover even half of our payroll, much less the cost of ambulances, medical equipment, fuel, insurance, facilities, training, technology, medications and regulatory compliance.
Insurance reimbursement also does not reflect the true cost of remaining ready around the clock. Ambulance services are generally reimbursed when a patient is transported...not simply because a trained crew responded and provided care. When a patient is evaluated but not transported, refuses transportation or does not meet an insurer’s coverage requirements, the agency may receive little or no reimbursement despite having incurred the full cost of the response.
That is why government funding and charitable donations are so important. They do not provide “extra” money. They help close the gap between what it costs to maintain a ready ambulance service and what insurance billing and service contracts actually pay.
The challenges facing our organization are part of a much larger EMS crisis. Ulster County’s 2024 EMS Services Delivery Report found that six of the County’s 17 ambulance agencies —approximately 35% — were responding to fewer than 70% of their calls. The report described EMS in Ulster County as being at a crossroads, with volunteer and combination agencies struggling to maintain coverage and increasingly relying on neighboring services for assistance.
Ulster County has since approved a countywide EMS Stabilization and Enhancement Plan, including $4.7 million in targeted support intended to strengthen existing providers, improve response reliability and address coverage gaps. This investment is an important acknowledgment that dependable EMS cannot be sustained through ambulance billing and volunteer labor alone.
Volunteerism remains an important part of our history and our future. We need committed volunteers, and we welcome individuals who share our dedication to patient care, professionalism, teamwork and service to the community. However, becoming an emergency medical responder requires a substantial investment of time and money. Initial education, continuing medical education, uniforms, protective equipment, background checks, health requirements, supervision and field training all carry significant costs.
Prospective volunteers also face the same financial pressures affecting families throughout our community. Many people are working multiple jobs, supporting households and living paycheck to paycheck. Even those who sincerely want to serve may not have the time or financial flexibility required to complete training and regularly staff an ambulance.
As volunteer availability declined, we made the difficult but necessary transition to a primarily paid workforce. This was not a rejection of volunteer service. It was a decision made to ensure that when our community calls for help, a qualified crew is available and the ambulance can respond.
At the same time, we have become more deliberate about the volunteers we accept and onboard. Every new member requires a significant investment of organizational resources, training and supervision. More importantly, we have worked extremely hard to build a healthy culture centered on respect, accountability, patient safety and teamwork. Protecting that culture is essential to retaining both employees and volunteers and providing the level of care our community deserves.
Our recruitment process is therefore focused on finding the right people — not simply increasing membership numbers. We seek applicants who are prepared to make a genuine commitment, uphold our standards and contribute positively to the organization. This approach protects our patients, our personnel and the long-term stability of the agency.
“We are proud of the progress we have made, but pride alone cannot purchase medical supplies, maintain an ambulance or provide a qualified crew around the clock,” said Chief Douglas Finney-Carter. “We are asking our community to understand that donations and public funding directly support our ability to answer the next emergency. Every contribution helps keep trained providers on duty, lifesaving equipment in service and an ambulance available when someone’s worst day arrives.”
Supporting a local ambulance service is not merely supporting an organization. It is helping ensure that a neighbor experiencing a heart attack, a child injured in an accident or a family facing a medical crisis receives help when every minute matters.
Kerhonkson-Accord First Aid Squad remains committed to responsible stewardship, operational accountability and dependable emergency medical care. We are grateful to our employees, volunteers, municipal partners, donors and residents who recognize that a sustainable EMS system requires a shared community commitment.
To donate, volunteer or learn more, please contact:
Kerhonkson-Accord First Aid Squad
PO Box 67
Kerhonkson, New York 12446
845-626-7978 x 3
[email protected]
PayPal Link to Donate:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6RMN3W85XWG4G
About Kerhonkson-Accord First Aid Squad
Kerhonkson-Accord First Aid Squad is a private, not-for-profit charitable ambulance organization providing emergency medical services to the communities it serves. The organization relies on a combination of service-contract revenue, insurance reimbursement, charitable contributions and community support to maintain dependable emergency response coverage.
