East Hudson Valley News

The Dutchess County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Council held its annual EMS Awards Ceremony on May 22 at the Dinsmore Golf Club in Staatsburg. The event recognized dedicated EMS providers, agencies, and local hospital staff. Among the honorees were several Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response 9-1-1 Public Safety Dispatchers for their dedication and work in the field.

County Executive Sue Serino highlighted the importance of EMS as an essential service, stating, “As we continue to highlight the importance of EMS as an essential service, we are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of so many dedicated people who are serving in the EMS field, helping to save lives every day, including our own Dutchess County Public Safety Dispatchers.”

Erin Downing received the EMS Communications Specialist of the Year Award. Downing began her career with Dutchess County’s 9-1-1 Center in 2021 and was promoted to Public Safety Dispatcher in October 2023. She has taken numerous calls involving significant medical emergencies or mental health crises and has been recognized for handling these calls with compassion and professionalism. This marks her second time receiving this award.

Public Safety Dispatchers Peggy Mulligan, Linda Polinsky, Kerry Vittone, Joe Dingee, Doug Eighmy, Dan Emery, Andrew Ludwig, Catherine Larkin, and Brian Labulis—comprising the Dutchess County 9-1-1 Center’s “Group Three” team—were honored with the Excellence in EMS Quality and Safety Award. They were recognized for their speed and accuracy during crises such as a gas explosion and house fire in Wappingers Falls in November 2023 and a tractor-trailer rollover accident into a body of water in Millerton in June 2023.

In 2023, public safety dispatchers at the Dutchess County 9-1-1 Center answered over 210,000 individual phone calls and dispatched assistance to more than 118,000 incidents through the Computer Aided Dispatch system.

Timothy Darcy, Director of Dutchess County 9-1-1 stated, “Our 9-1-1 Center Dispatchers handle every call with a consistent level of calm professionalism... We are proud to celebrate these individuals’ dedication to their work and the wellbeing of our community.”

County Executive Serino emphasized addressing challenges facing EMS response due to dwindling numbers of volunteers or career seekers because of high stress levels and low pay. Efforts are underway to empower current workers and recruit new talent through a comprehensive strategy led by Dutchess County Emergency Response.

Commissioner of Emergency Response Dana Smith said, “We continue to work with our municipal partners to find sustainable ways to ease the burden on our EMS system... Our staff at the 9-1-1 Center are committed to helping save lives and make a difference in our community.”

This year’s recipients include:

Basic Life Support Provider of the Year: Kyle Maxwell

Advanced Life Support Provider of the Year: Heather Fraleigh

EMS Agency of the Year: East Clinton Rescue Squad

Harriet C. Weber EMS Leadership Award: Jeffrey Cotter

EMS Educator of Excellence: Susan Prezzano

Communications Specialist of the Year: Erin Downing

Excellence in Quality and Safety: Dutchess County 911 Group Three

Registered Professional Nurse of Excellence: Heather Fraleigh

Physician of Excellence: Dr. Dan Miller

EMS Mentor: Susan deHaan

EMS Lifesaver: Racheal Bourne

County Executive Serino concluded by expressing gratitude towards first responders within communities throughout EMS Week.