POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino has announced $134,303 in funding awards to nine recipients of the County’s second round of Fly Car Grant Awards. These grants provide critical funding for life-saving equipment to fire departments, rescue squads, and ambulance corps.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “Fly Cars continue to be a vital tool for our local first responders, allowing them to provide fast, critical support to patients in life-threatening situations. This grant program is helping raise awareness about EMS in our community, especially how rewarding careers saving lives can be. We are proud to support our local agencies as they continue to build their response capabilities to best protect the health and safety of our communities.”
The following organizations have been awarded grant funding for life-saving equipment, such as automatic chest compression devices, carbon monoxide poisoning detectors, trauma bag supplies, and automated external defibrillators (AEDs):
As part of the program, the agencies’ fly cars or other support vehicles display branded, unified recruitment messaging promoting career and volunteer opportunities in EMS, including a link to the County’s website, dutchessny.gov/EMS. Since the graphics have started appearing on local agencies’ vehicles, the website has seen hundreds of page views per month.
Jeff Scala, Chief of Roosevelt Fire District in Hyde Park, said, “This grant helps us grow our capacity to respond, both by adding necessary, life-saving equipment, and helping boost our ongoing volunteer recruitment efforts. We are grateful to County Executive Sue Serino for helping tackle the challenges local departments are facing with EMS and are excited to continue this partnership.”
This initiative is part of Dutchess County’s continued investment in addressing the EMS crisis through innovative programs and partnerships. County Executive Serino has continued support of the County’s Supplemental Ambulance Service and EMS in Dutchess County in the 2026 Executive Budget. As part of ongoing efforts to build awareness of the challenges facing EMS, the County has launched a multi-pronged public awareness campaign, EMS Matters. The campaign has focused not only on recruitment for EMTs and paramedics, but also on how to recognize the signs of a true emergency that needs EMS versus heading to an urgent care facility, safety and prevention tips, and more.
The Dutchess County Legislature is scheduled to vote on the 2026 Budget at its Board Meeting on Monday, December 8, 2025, with the full 2026 County Budget process to be completed by December 17, 2025 with the adoption of the tax levy.
