For immediate release: Oct. 25, 2021

Serious concerns were brought up at the Conesville Annual Fire District Budget Hearing held on
October 19, 2021. The District Commissioners expressed their commitment to continue to fund
the town ambulance despite the absence of EMT responders on the squad for at least 2 years
now.

Only 3 of the 5 Commissioners showed up to present their 2022 budget. Chairman Lawrence
Fancher and Commissioner Eric Dahlberg were the first to arrive after 7 pm. It appeared that
there wouldn’t be a quorum but Commissioner Thomas Buel arrived later to provide one.
Commissioners Frank Losito and Steve DeWitt were absent.

I was one of only two District residents/taxpayers in attendance to represent the community at
the scheduled hearing. I was there, personally to publicly communicate my strong opposition to
any future spending for the Rescue Squad or ambulance entirely.

As with other communities, Conesville is faced with the challenge of recruiting and retaining
EMTs. The training and certification requirements are very time consuming and if you expand
the acronym to it’s true analogy – Emergency Medical Technician – this has ultimately become
an income bearing career for individuals with a calling to the medical field. Respectfully, one
can understand the shortage. But, it has become a cold hard reality to many served by the
Conesville Rescue Squad that the 911 response has just not been there.

According to a report done by the Schoharie County Office of Emergency Services in April 2021,
it confirms the problem is countywide but the gap between the two lowest responders in a
comparison of all 11 responding services, shows Conesville at a rate of 83% non response, a
considerably higher non response rate than the next lowest response rate at 60%.

2020 EMS dispatch results contained in April’s report indicate Conesville received a total of 99
911 EMS calls. The ambulance responded to only 17 of those calls. In every practical sense,
this alone should compel the Commissioners to reconsider their decision to have the ambulance
remain in service or non-service, as this case may be.

Mike Hartzel, our County Emergency Management Director, worked long and hard with his staff,
using their many years of experience, backed by the knowledge and skill needed to accomplish
an unenviable task. His office developed a realistic plan based on quality of service vs cost to
the county taxpayer. The result has been a raving success so far.

Currently, the plan has been implemented with a fully staffed ambulance located in Blenheim,
designed to respond if local agency tones out. The Emergency Medical Services office confirms
that the Blenheim location is be 24/7.

A rescue call requires one EMT and a driver in order to answer a call. Conesville has one
driver and no EMT and a brand new ambulance. The unfortunate reality of the times is that the
qualifications are more in depth to acquire an elevated EMT level of paramedic.
Again reminding that the position has become more of a lucrative career rather than the
dedicated, volunteer status it once held in the past.

Looking at the current success at County level as something that can be expanded upon as the
need arises due to population growth – a welcomed, proactive idea that promises to lead this
County into the future. Given the added ability to hire more qualified individuals certainly seems
to be the perfect solution to the difficulty securing volunteerism.

Chairman Fancher pleaded for the public to be patient with the Commissioners while they try to
‘build it back up’ but every day the ambulance remains ‘in service’ without the ability to answer a
call is an unnecessary expense for the District taxpayers. And, he really offered no solid
promise for recruits, just that he had two interested parties who had not even begun the
certification process.

In reality, he is asking taxpayers to carry the burden of funding both the Town ambulance (with a
17% response rate and currently lacking EMT volunteers) by the Fire District levy and the
County Tax for the Emergency Service provided in Blenheim. As indicated in their 2022 Budget
document dated 10/19/21, the Fire District showed they levied $15,000.00 for the Flycar in
2021. But, that expense does not appear to be levied in 2022.

Addressing this issue is a very important, community responsibility. Realizing our need and
recognizing the deficiency of the service being provided. Looking ahead to a better plan that
can be funded at County level which offers better peace of mind knowing your response rate is
greater.

I encourage Conesville Fire District residents to find their voice and let the Fire Commissioners
know that you want better. That having a fully paid, brand new ambulance, that is not staffed to
answer calls is way too expensive an investment for the taxpayers to bear.

This defunct service needs to be defunded if it is too difficult to fully staff.

The Fire Commissioners can be contacted by emailing: conesvillefiredistrict@gmail.com.

Defund the Defunct 10/25/21
written by Joanne Noone

Contact email: abetterconesville@gmail.com

● Data contained in the article was obtained by the OES Report/April 2021 BOS Committee Meeting packet pages 82 – 93.
● Primary statistics for the 2020 EMS Dispatch results are on page 92 of the OES Report/April 2021 BOS Meeting packet