The Sullivan County Legislature has approved funding for four staffed “fly cars”, which are vehicles equipped with advanced medical capabilities, in a move aimed at strengthening the county’s emergency services.

Legislator Nadia Rajsz, who chaired the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee, said, “We have heard the concerns of our citizens and our EMS agencies, and we agree that action is needed.”

The fly cars, SUVs that carry EMTs or paramedics but do not transport patients, will be stationed in strategic locations around the county, and are expected to start operating later this year. Each car will have an EMT assigned to it 24/7. Two vehicles will be dedicated to providing basic life support, including CPR and AED. Two will be equipped to provide advanced life support, including an IV, medication administration, and advanced cardiac life support.

In a statement, Sullivan County Public Safety Commissioner Scott Schulte said, “Ambulances will follow every call a fly car is dispatched to. The fly cars will not compete with our local corps – they will not ‘steal’ calls, and if a corps is able to respond, we will defer to them.”

The county selected the company, SeniorCare EMS of the Bronx, based on cost, dedication to the initiative, and the comprehensiveness of its proposal. The two-year $5.4 million contract will also provide an option for the county to extend it annually.

District 6 Legislator Luis Alvarez, chair of the Legislature’s Public Safety Committee and leader of this initiative, added, “We understand this is not the local ambulance corps’ fault, but it’s unacceptable to have residents waiting an hour or more for an ambulance to arrive.”

“As a resident of Sullivan County myself, I understand firsthand the challenges that face the fine EMS professionals operating in the region,” affirmed Michael S. Vatch, Chief Executive Officer of SeniorCare EMS. “I believe we can bring a service to the EMS system which enhances the already strong system in place.”