Press Release:
On Tuesday, March 4, 2024, the Sackets Harbor Volunteer Fire Co. Inc. and its members voted to change the EMS service they provide from a transport service to a First Responder service. This was not a financial decision and has many layers to the decision. The department has been struggling to respond to EMS calls for almost two years. For the past 2 years, other surrounding agencies have had to assist the SHFD Ambulance due to low volunteer response. So essentially, the changes the department members have made will formalize what has already been happening. This decision was supported by the Sackets Harbor Village Board. These changes are still in the planning stages. Meetings are scheduled for early this week to move forward. A public meeting will be held in the near future in which residents will be able to get more information and answers to their questions.
The fact remains that the number of volunteers able to respond to EMS calls have significantly dwindled. For many reasons, Ambulance calls used to take an hour and now take 2-3 hours; sometimes up to 4 hours, and training requirements to maintain certification just to name a couple of reasons.