Senator Kathy Marchione, Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino, Rensselaer County Fire Chiefs Assoc, Rensselaer County first responders announce new emergency response pagers that will help save lives

Also in attendance at today’s press conference held at the Defreestville Fire Department were North Greenbush Town Supervisor Lou Desso, Rensselaer County Legislators, Rensselaer County Public Safety Director Kelly Paslow, Rensselaer County Deputy Public Safety Director Mark Balistreri and Rensselaer County first responders. Today's press conference also featured a ceremonial check presentation and public demonstration of the new Motorola Minitor VI Pagers.

The new pagers will enhance response times, facilitate coordination, improve communication and assist Rensselaer County first responders in saving lives. Every Rensselaer County fire company and ambulance service will receive the new pagers totaling approximately 1,940. In the fall of 2015, the Speigletown Fire Company and the Town of Schodack Chiefs Association requested Senator Marchione’s assistance in securing funding for new emergency response pagers. Senator Marchione successfully secured the funding as part of the 2016-17 State Budget to purchase approximately 1,940 new Motorola Minitor VI Pagers for every fire company and ambulance service member throughout Rensselaer County.

“In responding to an emergency situation, every second counts and can literally mean the difference between life and death. I believe we need to do everything possible to secure the equipment, funding, resources and support that our heroic first responders need to do their jobs and help save lives,” Senator Marchione said.

“When the Speigletown Fire Company and the Town of Schodack Chiefs Association visited my office last year and explained how funding for these emergency response pagers would help Rensselaer County first responders and ultimately save lives, I knew there was genuine need to secure this assistance so every fire department and ambulance service in Rensselaer County would have these new pagers which are important tools that will help enhance the safety of Rensselaer County families. I was proud to deliver this assistance to support our first responders who risk their lives and do such an incredible job serving and protecting our communities. These pagers also will support future recruitment and retention efforts which are so important for our fire companies and ambulance services,” Senator Marchione said.

“This $750,000 funding secured by Senator Marchione for the pagers ensure that the County’s over $20 million investment in emergency communications projects will have no cost impact on the first responder agencies.  I want to thank Senator Marchione for this funding as well as the local agencies that spearheaded this effort to help secure these resources.  I also want to commend all of those who serve with police, fire, and emergency medical service agencies for their efforts day in and day out to protect the lives and property of all those who live, work, or visit Rensselaer County,” stated Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen M. Jimino.

The $750,000 secured by Senator Marchione for purchasing the pagers is the final amount of funding necessary to complete the over $20 million investment by Rensselaer County to replace the majority of the emergency communications systems including radios, home alerting, dispatch center equipment, as well as enhance signal coverage through additional tower sites at no cost to the local first response agencies.

In addition to the $750,000 for the emergency response pagers for Rensselaer County firefighter companies and ambulance services, Senator Marchione also successfully secured $250,000 in the 2016-17 State Budget to support FASNY’s ongoing statewide recruitment and retention of local volunteer firefighters to help promote public safety and protect local communities.

“FASNY commends Senator Marchione, the Rensselaer County Chiefs Association,  the Town of Schodack Chiefs Association, and the Speigletown Fire Company for working together to obtain funding and keeping public safety a primary focus for the residents of Rensselaer County and its neighboring communities,” said FASNY Chief Administrative Officer David Quinn. “These joint efforts, along with Rensselaer County's commitment to emergency communications infrastructure upgrades, will provide the necessary components to not only take financial burden off local fire districts and localities but aid in the continuance of providing critical emergency services to residents in their time of need.”

“With obtaining this pager funding for the emergency services of Rensselaer County, Senator Marchione has now equipped us for not only the new County radio system coming on-line, but also for future recruitment growth of those new FFs & EMTs who will be joining our fire departments and ambulance agencies.  The Rensselaer County Fire Chiefs Association sincerely commends Senator Marchione on her efforts in obtaining this pager funding and ongoing recruitment efforts,” said Gary Roberts, 1st Vice-President of the Rensselaer County Fire Chiefs Association.