Croton Gets New Paid EMT Today

Croton has a new, paid EMT driver on duty today. The new, temporary position is part of the effort to decrease Croton EMS response times. The EMT driver's shift is 7 a.m-7 p.m. The EMT is provided by Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

EMT drivers are able to respond to basic medical needs during an emergency. During life-threatening emergencies, EMTs are accompanied by paramedics. Paramedics are able to deal with more advanced medical situations. The Village of Croton currently gets its paramedics from Tri-Community Medic service, which serves Croton, Briarcliff Manor and Ossining. Tri-Community paramedics are available 24/7.

Croton Emergency Management Director Dick Nagle said the new system (with a paid EMT driver) worked out great today, when EMT driver Frank Bellantoni had to spring into action with Croton EMS volunteer David Kempter. "This morning the ambulance was on the street within 60 seconds of the receipt of the call. They were on the scene at Metro-North within three minutes of the receipt of the call."

Croton's new, paid EMT driver agreement with the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps will last for three months. Nagle hopes that the Village can come up with a permanent solution to the EMS response time issue by the end of the current agreement's term.

Nagle says the current setup rests on the shoulders of the volunteers. "The success or failure of this initiative rests with Croton EMS volunteers. They have to participate in order to make it work, because we can't just send one person out in the ambulance. We are depending on the Croton volunteer EMS members to participate in this program."

18-year Croton EMS volunteer Charlie O'Connor says that recruiting and training new volunteers can be a lengthy process. "We need more EMT volunteers and [EMT] drivers. That's what's causing the problem. That's why they got somebody in on a paid basis. And it takes time to train an EMT—six months."

Croton EMS Captain Gary Diggs says anyone who is interested in volunteering can call 914-862-1600 and leave a message with their information. You can also click here for a Croton EMS volunteer application.