About The Johnsburg Emergency Squad (JES)

Johnsburg Emergency Squad Roster

Our Board of Directors: Chairperson, Arthur Webb; Secretary, Dr Beth Maher; Directors, Jacob Goechter, Alice Halloran, Matt Pearsall, Terri Strohmeyer, Bill Thomas, and Gerry Harris, Treasurer

Our Officers: Joe Connelly, Executive Director; Kevin Fusco, Operations Manager; Cameron Dubay, Minerva Operations Manager; Steven Levett, Bookkeeper

Our Paramedics: John Arnold, Jane Boxall, Joe Connelly, Simon Gardner, Thomas Gulley, Elijah Harrison, Lisa Hunt, Corey Ouellette, William Rosenblatt, Michelle San Antonio and CCT Cameron Dubay

Our Advanced EMTs: Mike Corey, Kevin Fusco, and Jon Ordway

Our EMTs: Zachary Boucher, Andrew Bulmer, Liam Connelly, Alexander Faust, Kevin Feldt, Eathen Galusha,Reece Hlavaty, Corrie Magee, McKennah Patten, Juan Pesquera, Zachary Phelps, Tim Seely, Brendan Tomb, and Karen Wright

Our Drivers: Jim Tipa

Our Medical Director: Dr. Ben Katz

Funding
EMS Johnsburg Emergency Squad (JES) is a private, non-profit, charity organized for the public good. 100% of all funds generated by JES are used to operate an ambulance service within the community. It is also a business that operates 24/7. In November of 2014 the townspeople of Johnsburg passed an ambulance tax district. The money from the district allows the squad to now pay competitive salaries to its employees, and for the first time offer benefits. The squad now provides salaries to its operations manager and president. This year it was able to purchase a much needed third ambulance. All revenue generated from patient billing goes into the tax district, and can only be used for EMS. Each year the squad and the town board put together a budget based on revenue predictions and operational expenses. The tax district ensures that the squad will continue to provide quality and timely care far into the future.

Our rates are based on the services of a paid ALS tech and driver and the use of a well-maintained and well-stocked ambulance. The rates are comparable to the rates charged by other agencies in the area—all of whom have a much shorter distance to cover and much less time devoted to each call. The type of call impacts the cost as the use of drugs and medical supplies affects the costs. We can only charge for the number of miles we transport a patient, thus the miles to the scene of the emergency, the miles to answer a call when we find no patient, the miles covered to find a patient refusing service are all time, wear and tear, and fuel costs not covered.

Our Rates   BLS Emergency $1,400 , ALS Emergency $1,900, Mileage $30/mile

These rates are comparable to other rates in the area, and are the best rates paid by the insurance companies. The squad cannot afford to charge less than what insurance companies will pay. This is especially important because the government reimburses at a much lower rate, and 67% of patients have medicaid, medicare, or no insurance.

You can Donate through The Adirondack Foundation – Use the Pull-down menu to select Johnsburg Emergency Squad.

Donate Through The Adirondack Foundation CLICK HERE

Like many emergency squads in New York’s North Country, the American Legion in Johnsburg played a pivotal role in establishing emergency care in the area. In 1949, they purchased the first ambulance to serve “the residents of the Town of Johnsburg and immediate vicinity.” This ambulance was later presented to the Barton Fire Company of the North Creek Fire District for operation. Firemen volunteered to staff the ambulance with a driver and an attendant on a round-the-clock schedule, and to handle its maintenance. Initially, the vehicle was stored at the local funeral home until accommodations were added to the firehouse.

In the early 1950s, the neighboring town of Minerva in Essex County contracted with the group before forming its own squad. Along with North Creek Police Officers, the emergency response was impressive for the time. A dedicated roster of volunteer firemen came together to provide ambulance coverage throughout the area.

By 1962, the Barton Fire Company recognized its first Ambulance Captain, Bill Lee, who served until 1964, followed by John Wolfe for two years, and then Rodney Sargent from 1966 to 1980. During this period, the Barton Fire Company was renamed the North Creek Fire Company. Although Minerva established its own ambulance team, the two groups collaborated for training and mutual aid, especially at accident scenes.

The opening of Gore Mountain Ski Center in 1964 brought a surge in visitors and ambulance calls. Volunteers from North Creek Fire Company met the challenge, often responding to multiple calls in a single day and self-dispatching via home phone services.

By the 1980s, the Squad operated with three ambulances. EMTs and drivers responded to both emergency and non-emergency calls, provided standby at community events like the White Water Derby and Oktoberfest, and transported patients to local nursing facilities or home after hospital stays. The Town of Johnsburg and its surrounding communities offered strong support throughout the Squad’s history.

North Creek Fire Company EMTs were among the first in New York State, with Ralph Dubay and Bill Thomas among the earliest certified. The Squad conducted first aid, CPR, and EMT classes at the firehouse and local schools, training future lifeguards, nurses, and ski patrollers. Rick Bennett and Thomas Ordway, Sr., helped lead the team during periods of high call volume and growing needs, with many volunteers serving as both firefighters and ambulance attendants.

Mutual aid has always been essential in the Adirondacks, where resources are limited and funding is tight. As Advanced Life Support became available in the 1990s, North Creek and Minerva worked closely to provide excellent care on both sides of the Hudson River. Ambulance crews often coordinated intercepts with Advanced EMTs, who would meet en route in personal vehicles. During this time, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office began dispatching 911 calls, ending local home dispatch in North Creek.

In 1992, a decision was made to create an Emergency Squad separate from the Fire Company, allowing community members from outside the North Creek Fire District to join. This change spurred growth and led to the Johnsburg ambulance becoming Advanced Life Support Certified.

The Squad moved into its own headquarters at the corner of Peaceful Valley Road and State Route 8 in Sodom in March 2000. Within four years, paid staff supplemented the volunteer schedule during vulnerable hours. Insurance billing began to help recoup costs, and the Squad continued to provide mutual aid and non-emergency transports, previously handled by commercial services.

In 2016, the Squad relocated to 624 Peaceful Valley Road, a facility equipped for 24/7 on-call crews and administrative staff. The property also serves as a med flight helicopter landing zone area. The three-bay garage houses the ambulances and necessary equipment, while the living quarters offer comfortable accommodations for crews working long shifts.

The partnership with the Town of Minerva continued into 2020, when the Operating Authority was assigned to the Johnsburg Emergency Squad. Minerva teammates now provide first response in the area as part of this collaboration, with a shared focus on patient care and community outreach.

As of 2025, the Johnsburg Emergency Squad operates two ambulances from the Johnsburg station and one housed in Minerva and answers approximately 700 calls each year. A volunteer Board of Directors oversees a staff of dedicated paramedics and EMTs, all committed to the art of emergency medicine. Community support remains strong, upholding the Squad’s motto: “neighbors helping neighbors.”