Ritchie Helps TIERS Build New Ambulance Station

State Senator Patty Ritchie is announcing she has delivered $50,000 in state funding to Thousand Islands Emergency Rescue Services (TIERS) to help with the cost of its new ambulance station in Clayton.

“In an emergency situation, a matter of seconds can be the difference in the ability to save a life.  Our local emergency service responders need to have the latest equipment and facilities to do their jobs,” said Senator Ritchie. “I am pleased to secure this necessary funding and know that this department is now better equipped to respond to calls and save lives.”

Since its founding in 2003, TIERS has resided in temporary, makeshift and leased spaces it considered ill-suited for the needs of a modern emergency medical service organization.

In 2015, TIERS began a capital campaign to build a new, permanent home designed to better fit its needs. Its new 6,400-square foot facility eliminates the cost of lease payments, reduces emergency response times, enhances the work environment, aids recruitment, lowers utility and other operating costs and provides for enhanced training opportunities and community-outreach activities.  The squad responds to calls throughout the Thousand Islands Region.

“We are immensely grateful for the critical financial support we received from Senator Ritchie without which we could not have reached our campaign goal,” said Bud Baril, TIERS Board Chair. “Senator Ritchie’s support ensures that the residents of Clayton, Orleans and the Thousand Islands region will continue to benefit from the availability of the highest level of emergency care available.”

In addition to serving local residents, TIERS also provides Advanced Life Support services to the region’s critical infrastructure including the U.S.-Canadian Border Station, the Saint Lawrence Seaway, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, the U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.