Senator Bonacic Accepts Emergency Services Award

State Senator John Bonacic accepted the Orange County Office of Emergency Medical Services and Orange County Emergency Medical Services Council’s annual award for being Orange County’s EMS Supporter of the Year.

The award was presented on March 3 at The Fountains restaurant at the Town of Wallkill Golf Club.  Senator Bonacic has been an active EMS supporter for many years.  Some of his work in the area of firematic and emergency services includes: 

*          Writing the law authorizing insurance coverage for volunteer EMS workers to receive testing for blood borne pathogens they may be exposed to;

*          Successfully working to keep four rural hospitals open providing 24 hour a day emergency access;

*          Being the first State Senator to secure defibrillators for each high school in any Senate District before they became popularly placed in many places of public assembly;

*          Sponsoring legislation to authorize construction of an EMS Memorial at the State Capitol in Albany honoring EMS workers who die in the line of duty.

Senator Bonacic has previously received the State’s top award from the State Firefighters.

Association for advocacy on behalf of volunteer firefighters.  “At some place, each day, across our State, an EMS worker is jumping into action to save the life or lives of complete strangers.  Hopefully it will never be you or a loved one that needs saving, but we are all thankful for their service,” Senator Bonacic said in accepting the award.