GOUVERNEUR – Gouverneur Volunteer Rescue Squad will receive a $130,083 grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

“Today, I am announcing that over $130,000 in taxpayer funds will return to our district to support the Gouverneur Volunteer Rescue Squad,” Congresswoman Elise Stefanik said. Stefanik represents St. Lawrence County in the 21st Congressional District.

“This funding will help recruit, train, and equip our first responders to better address mental health and substance abuse to keep our communities safe.”

This funding is through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which has the goal to recruit and train emergency medical service (EMS) personnel in rural areas with a particular focus on addressing mental and substance use disorders. This award will allow the North Country New York Emergency Medical Services Education Project to:

• Train EMS personnel as appropriate to maintain licenses and certifications relevant to serve in an EMS agency,

• Conduct courses that qualify graduates to serve in an EMS agency,

• Fund specific training to meet federal or state licensing or certification requirement,

• Ensure EMS personnel are trained on mental and substance use disorders and care for people with such disorders in emergency situations,

• Acquire emergency medical services equipment (medical equipment purchase requires approval by SAMHSA), and

• Purchase of the opioid overdose antidote Naloxone and train EMS personnel on the use in emergency opioid overdose situations.