N.Y. county, university partnership brings advanced EMT, paramedic training closer to residents

By Daily Freeman

KINGSTON, N.Y. — Ulster County and the SUNY Cobleskill College of Agriculture and Technology are joining forces for an advanced emergency medical technician/paramedic program in the county.

The Ulster County Legislature on Wednesday approved a memorandum of agreement with the college under which the county will pay $326,000 for the program in 2026. Under the agreement, the county would also pay $7,070 for any unfilled seats.

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The first Ulster County cohort will begin in August, with capacity for 15 students in the inaugural semester. Participants are expected to graduate in August 2027.

In a press release issued Friday, Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger called the partnership “a major investment in the future of emergency medical services in Ulster County.

“By bringing high‑quality paramedic training close to home, we are opening doors for our EMTs to advance their careers while strengthening the emergency response system our residents rely on. This is exactly the kind of collaborative, community‑centered solution we need to build a more resilient EMS workforce,” she said.

In 2025, the county’s Division of Emergency Medical Services received approval from the state Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, to offer basic-level emergency medical technician courses, increasing the number of EMTs in the county.

The partnership with SUNY Cobleskill will build on that effort by enabling EMTs to pursue paramedic certification without leaving the county, the release stated.

“Bringing paramedic education to Ulster County is a major step forward for our EMS system,” Everett Erichsen, Ulster County Emergency Services commissioner, stated in the release. “This creates new opportunities for our EMTs, strengthens our local workforce, and helps ensure our communities receive the highest level of emergency medical care. This progress is a direct result of the continued hard work of our EMS Division and the strong support of County Executive Jen Metzger and her team.”

The SUNY Cobleskill Paramedic Education Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

For more information on the SUNY Cobleskill Paramedic Education Program, visit https://bit.ly/4smy9uJ.

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