Hinchey Delivers $400,000 to Build New Rural Ambulance Center, Upgrade EMS Equipment

WINDHAM, NY – Senator Michelle Hinchey today announced that she secured a total of $400,000 in state funding to support the emergency response efforts of paramedic ambulance services in Greene and Ulster counties. Hinchey delivered a $300,000 grant to help build the new Windham Ambulance and Community Center–a full-service modern EMS facility, which will include two pull-through bays, sleeping quarters, a living space for the ambulance crews, and telehealth capabilities. Through the State and Municipal Facilities Capital Program, Hinchey also delivered a $100,000 grant for Diaz Memorial Ambulance in Saugerties to purchase new emergency medical equipment, including an EKG monitor, portable radios, a CPR auto-pulse unit, and medical charting laptops.

"I have prioritized securing investments in facilities and technologies that help our local EMS providers save lives and keep our communities healthy and I'm proud to deliver $400,000 in grant funding to support EMS across Greene and Ulster counties," said Senator Hinchey. "The new, centrally-located Windham Ambulance Center will be a game-changer for providing faster connections to emergency care and a comfortable home base for our hardworking 24/7 ambulance crews. Additionally, when I learned that Diaz Ambulance in Saugerties needed to upgrade decades-outdated medical equipment, I was proud to step up and deliver the grant funding to make those upgrades, which will put our EMS providers in a better position to deliver quality, life-saving emergency care. I will continue fighting to expand healthcare in our rural communities and for our rural EMS to have the needed resources to provide life-saving aid."

Windham Supervisor Tom Hoyt said, “The Town of Windham thanks Senator Hinchey for obtaining this grant to build the new Windham Ambulance Building. Having a new Ambulance Building in a central location will allow us to proactively care for residents, provide a space for us to practice telemedicine, and will lay the foundation for better shared services across Windham and neighboring communities.” 

Lisa Benjamin, Manager, Diaz Ambulance, said, "On behalf of the Diaz Memorial Ambulance Service board of directors, manager and staff we want to thank Senator Hinchey for all of her efforts to secure this grant for our nonprofit organization. This grant will allow us to replace equipment that is over 20 years old and beyond its useful life. The new equipment will help us continue to provide quality emergency medical services to the Saugerties community."

Senator Hinchey has championed the expansion of healthcare across Hudson Valley communities and has focused much of those efforts on addressing the challenges facing rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Hinchey created the 12-member New York State Rural Ambulance Services Task Force (S3503C) to study and evaluate the challenges that have accelerated EMS closures in recent years and make recommendations to the State Legislature regarding policies, programs, funding, and legislation to ensure EMS remain available in rural areas and well-equipped to meet local needs. In September, Hinchey announced that her nominee, Greene County EMS Leader Aidan O’Connor, was selected to serve on the Task Force as the Senate’s appointee.

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