Sullivan County officials report communications upgrades, new grants and training for emergency services

County public safety officials reported progress on communications, training and grant awards at the Sullivan County Legislature Public Safety and Law Enforcement Committee meeting on March 6, 2025.

The official said equipment ordered after an earlier funding request has arrived and is being deployed to field personnel to improve countywide communications in areas that previously had limited or no coverage. A phased “government security initiative” rollout is planned; staff and the county attorney will present a phase‑one request for the committee’s consideration next month.

Committee members were told the county’s rabies control officer responded to 17 exposures across nine townships between Jan. 25 and Feb. 24; 11 dogs and six cats were involved. The official credited investigative work that averted one potentially costly human post‑exposure vaccination case.

Officials announced two grant awards. A grant from the New York State Department of Health for roughly $500,000 will be used for educational outreach, training and to strengthen the county’s emergency medical services system, officials said. A separate suicide‑prevention grant from the New York State Office of Mental Health was also awarded; staff said the amount has not been finalized but is expected to be in the roughly $60,000 range and will support a health‑and‑wellness coordinator focused on first‑responder mental and physical wellness.

The county said it has appointed a deputy fire coordinator for special operations; the hire is expected to be announced once onboarding is complete. County staff also reported that the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will deliver a three‑day hostile‑surveillance counter‑surveillance course in the fall, following a prior attended course and a state counterterrorism visit to the county training center.

Officials discussed Next Generation 9‑1‑1 and the emergency services information network (ESINET), which would modernize how 911 centers route calls and deliver GIS‑based data. Committee members said getting state funding for the ESINET remains a priority. Work on the Jeffersonville tower is in the environmental and right‑of‑way phase; staff said equipment for the tower has been ordered and they expect to go out to bid soon.

A fly‑car/ALS assist billing policy and fee schedule will be discussed at a future meeting as the county prepares to contract with an EMS billing firm used by most local volunteer agencies. Staff said the county will not pay the billing firm unless it collects revenue and that any proposed fee schedule will come back to the legislature for approval.

Committee chair Louie Alvarez and other members praised local volunteers and the Red Cross for their role in disaster response, and several participants urged the formation of a citizen preparedness subcommittee to expand community training and outreach.