To the editor:

It’s the middle of the night and you wake up in a cold sweat, with chest pain and difficulty breathing. Or, perhaps, you witnessed a car accident, and someone might be injured. You dial 911. Less than a minute after making that call, an advanced life support crew is responding with state-of-the-art life-saving technology, anytime of the day or night, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

As the primary emergency medical response agency in an area of approximately 600 square miles in the heart of the Adirondacks, the Saranac Lake Volunteer Rescue Squad (SLVRS) provides life-saving care to an estimated population of 21,965 souls in the village of Saranac Lake and six neighboring towns. In addition, SLVRS provides mutual aid to other local squads and transports critically ill or injured patients from our local hospital to specialized and advanced care hospitals throughout New York state.

In 2022, SLVRS responded to 930 emergency 911 calls and provided transport to definitive care for 488 patients.

As we celebrate National Emergency Medical Services Week (May 21-27), please join us as we thank our dedicated paid and volunteer staff who are committed to providing the highest quality medical care to the communities we serve in a timely, compassionate, and professional manner.

We also wish to acknowledge the members of our community for their continued support of the rescue squad.

Ben Watson, submitted on behalf of the Saranac Lake Volunteer Rescue Squad Board of Directors

Saranac Lake