When you need EMS, even a few minutes extra wait time can be the difference between life and death.
EMS in Crisis: Q1 Data Exposes Gaps in Red Hook, Rhinebeck & Milan — Why We Need New Leadership Like Troy Haley
I want to be absolutely clear: I fully support our local Fire and EMS departments. These men and women are the often-unseen heroes of our community—volunteers and professionals who put themselves on the line every day to keep us safe.
But here’s the reality presented to the Dutchess County Legislature on 8 May 2025: if you live in Red Hook, Rhinebeck, or Milan, you're currently far less likely to receive timely EMS care than someone in Beacon or the City of Poughkeepsie. That’s not the fault of our local departments—it’s the result of a county government that has failed for years to deliver the resources and coordination our communities deserve.
This is a public safety and equity issue. And it’s one of the key reasons I’m running for Dutchess County Legislator in District 20. We need leadership that shows up, listens, and fights for the tools our first responders need to do their jobs—and for the care our residents deserve. Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with several local leaders, EMS providers, and residents to discuss the state of emergency medical services in our region. These conversations, informed by Q1 data recently shared with local agencies and discussed at the May 8th Dutchess Legislature meeting, confirmed what many residents already know: we are facing an EMS crisis in Northern Dutchess.
Dutchess.https://totalwebcasting.com/view/?func=VIEW&id=dutchess&date=2025-05-08&seq=
Our local EMS providers are doing everything they can with the limited resources they have—but they’re being asked to do too much with too little staffing. This isn't a failure of local departments. It's a failure of long-term planning, funding, and support, including at the county level. We need leadership that will prioritize equitable investment in emergency services across the entire county—not just in our urban centers.
1. Response Times Are Unacceptably Long
Milan: Average response time is nearly 13 minutes.
Red Hook (Town): 17% of EMS calls take over 15 minutes to arrive.
Rhinebeck: Nearly 60% of calls are canceled en route, likely due to delays or being overtaken by another provider.
The national standard for a high-priority call is under 9 minutes. Milan meets that only 24% of the time. Red Hook is at 27% and Tivoli is at 50%.
2. Inability to Respond Is Alarmingly High
Village of Red Hook: EMS failed to respond to 83% of dispatches.
Town of Red Hook: 70% non-response rate resulting in the same as above.
Milan: 30% non-response rate.
These numbers mean patients in dire need are waiting too long for help, and lives are at risk.
3. No Local, Contracted EMS Coverage
Tivoli, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, and Milan have no direct EMS contracts and instead rely on a patchwork of mutual aid and private providers without dedicated 24/7 coverage. This leaves large gaps during peak demand hours or when units are traveling from distant parts of the county or on another call.
Key Takeaways
Urban areas: High call volume, better response times but starting to show stress (non-response increase).
Rural areas: Low volume but very high response times and high failure-to-respond rates.
Major equity gap: EMS access and reliability is worse for rural towns, especially Red Hook, Pine Plains, Milan, and Tivoli.
Cost-efficiency: High expenditure does not always result in better performance.
What Needs to Change
The data confirms that our current EMS system is not meeting the needs of our residents. To change this, we need to:
Create a shared EMS district for Red Hook, Milan, Rhinebeck, and Tivoli.
Station EMS units locally, not 15+ minutes away.
Invest in basic life support (BLS) coverage 24/7, either through public contracts or regional partnerships.
Recruit and retain local EMTs and paramedics with fair pay and support.
Secure state and federal grant funding for staffing, equipment, and stations.
Educate the public when to use and not to use 911 Calls
Take advantage of existing grants when available. In 2024 a 20K Fly Car grant was made available to all departments in Dutchess county, none of our local departments took advantage of this grant, because of lack of communication.
https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/County-Executive/Fly-Car-Grant-Awards-2024.htm
Bottom Line
The Q1 data confirms what too many residents in Milan, Rhinebeck, and Red Hook already know firsthand: response times are dangerously slow, coverage is inconsistent, and the system is failing when it matters most.
For eight years, Kristofer Munn has been in office while the EMS situation in Northern Dutchess has gone from bad to worse. In fact, Munn even boasted about securing $2 million for EMS but did not follow through to ensure those funds were used to make a meaningful difference in our community. This crisis isn’t just a policy failure—it’s a failure of leadership. Leaders show up, meet with stakeholders, listen, work tirelessly to secure the resources the community needs, and follow up to confirm an issue has been addressed. And leaders communicate with voters–not just during campaign season.
As a veteran who spent 23 years in the military and 16 of those in the National Guard, I know how important well sourced and trained EMS is. I know emergency services aren’t optional—they’re essential. I am committed to establishing a regional EMS district tailored to our unique needs, supporting our volunteer departments, ensuring 24/7 coverage, and assuring residents that calling 911 means help is on the way. I am not afraid to roll up my sleeves, listen to the people on the front lines, and work across agencies to find lasting solutions. It’s time for hands-on, proactive leadership that puts public safety first. The people of Northern Dutchess cannot afford to wait any longer.
