08/18/2026
If you have a few minutes, watch this! This is reality.
I have been in EMS over 35 years, and for more than 35 years EMS agencies, Leaders, communities have been lobbying for the New York State to make us an "essential service". To date that has not happened and today every agency struggles to keep their doors open, struggle to find staffing, struggle to educate those interested in EMS and struggle to find money to survive so that we can provide that "essential service" to our community and our families.
There is so much about EMS that most people don't know. We are considered a transport service. We carry expensive lifesaving equipment and administer expensive lifesaving medications that we cannot bill for. Paramedics & EMT's require extensive ongoing education and training which is very costly. They work long hours and are rarely appreciated for what they do. They walk into very difficult and dangerous situations every day, mentally & emotionally debilitating day in and day out, but they continue to do their job.
Paramedics & EMT's are becoming scarce, the ones who continue to work every day are tired and frustrated. They miss their families, they miss spending time with their children, going on vacation, spending a holiday at home. But they continue to work long hours because if they don't there will be no one there when that emergency call comes in, when you need us, when your family needs us, when our community needs us.
We now need you; we need your support and your voice. Please contact your county and state officials and urge them to make EMS an essential service, so you know when you need us, we will be there.
https://ballstonlakeems.org/essential/What happens when you call ...
