SWAN LAKE, NY — Following last year’s successful Emergency Services Youth Academy (ESYA), the Sullivan County Department of Public Safety presented its second week-long “unique summer experience” for young adults, geared toward interesting them in the rewarding, yet highly challenging, realms of emergency medical services, firefighting and law enforcement.

The intensive program, hosted by the county’s division of public safety in conjunction with multiple local emergency response agencies, was presented Monday, July 21 through Friday, July 26 at the county’s state-of-the-art emergency operations/training center.

Enrollment was free, with the only stipulation that attendees stay the course and complete the training.

In a press release, Sullivan County Public Safety Commissioner Scott Schulte said in part, “Our first academy was an outstanding success, introducing local teens to the huge array of methods and equipment our firefighters, EMTs and police officers utilize. We’ve upped our game this year, and the invitation is out for teens to spend a week with us that they will never, ever forget!” 

Heading up ESYA this year were John Hauschild, Sullivan County deputy commissioner of public safety/fire coordinator; Alex Rau, Sullivan County EMS coordinator; and a long list of dedicated emergency services professionals and volunteers, all focused on getting a new generation involved in service to those in need.

“This is our second annual academy, with tremendous support from the Division of Public Safety; 911; fire [departments]; EMS; law enforcement—including the sheriff’s office, New York State Police and New York State DEC forest rangers; the county manager; and numerous other county departments,” said Hauschild.

“This academy also serves as an excellent recruitment tool, inspiring cadets to consider future service in their local fire departments, EMS agencies or law enforcement,” he added, noting that several of the cadets are already involved with their hometown emergency service agencies.

“The energy this week has been absolutely amazing. The cadets not only learned critical skills for emergency services, but also gained knowledge applicable to everyday life… the positive energy and engagement from both the cadets and the emergency services personnel involved is truly inspiring. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this program, and am already looking forward to an even larger academy next year.”

The second annual Youth Academy was open to 14- to 16-year-olds, and according to a press release, was an “immersive tour of the people, policies and practices behind emergency response… gaining hands-on knowledge about drones, search and rescue techniques, firefighting, 911 dispatch, tactical law enforcement and first aid.”

A total of 18 teenagers from several local school districts signed the dotted line to attend the academy. Home schooler Madysen Brown; Nason Fein (Eldred); Lillianna Black, Phillip Kolarik and Addison Satz (Liberty); Shane Graham and Carol May Gugliotta (Livingston Manor); Jimmy Benjamin, Mason McGinnis and Jaden Washington (Monticello); Triton Velazquez (Pine Bush); Logan Hendrickson (Tri-Valley); Ezekiel Newman (SUNY Sullivan); and Mary Kate Norris and Seth Pierpoint (Sullivan West).

The week-long academy was divided into several day-long sessions. Monday included CPC bag class, a tour of the 911/ICS center and radio communications, and a session on wildland search and rescue.

Tuesday was Fire and Rescue Day, and included ropes, knots and patient packaging, plus anchors and mechanical advantage systems. 

Wednesday featured law enforcement, and introduced students to the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office drones, the Bearcat, the K9 unit and forcible entry, as well as the New York State Police’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and forensics, K9, the bomb disposal unit and aviation.

Thursday focused on EMS and highlighted CPR and first aid/Stop the Bleed (a program from the American College of Surgeons that teaches people to stop life-threatening bleeding). Thursday also included an ambulance demonstration.

On Friday, the students pulled it all together with a series of simulated emergencies, ranging from a motor vehicle accident to a lost and injured person in the woods. The day featured a pair of NYS DEC rangers leading the search operation and an evacuation on the LifeNet helicopter.

During the final evolution, Jack Halchak, Sullivan County’s chief deputy fire coordinator, was on hand to tutor Madysen Brown, 15, in her role as the incident commander in the final evolution, which brought all the pieces of the emergency services puzzle together.

Halchak has racked up 56 years in the local fire service, and said of the youth academy, “It was a great opportunity for these campers to get a taste of all the disciplines of emergency services. Maybe we sparked an interest in them, and they will join their local ambulance corps.” 

“It would be a great tribute to the camp if in the future they went into emergency services as a career,” he said. “I was very pleased with the way the campers conducted themselves and used their learned skills with the final evolution.”