Index
List of Municipalities
911 Dispatch
Fire Agencies
EMS
Police Agencies
Websites

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This file will primarily concentrate on the dispatch systems of the Public Safety Agencies in Albany County NY.

Albany County is divided into cities, towns, villages. Some towns are further divided into fire protection districts. Every area of the county gets a emergency response from someone. The purpose of this file is to explain who protects what area, and who dispatches whom. This can get very complicated, but I will try to make things as simple as possible.

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Albany County - 524 square miles - 292,000 residents - rolling wooded hills

Cities, Towns, and Villages in Albany County, New York - 04 Oct 00 from www.capitolimpact.com

There are no unincorporated areas in Albany County. All areas are located within a city, village, or town. The villages are considered to be part of the Town in which they are located (yet the Villages are seperate local government units). Therefore, all areas within a Village are part of the Village, and also part of the Town. The Town may or may not supply school, highway, or police services to the Village. (?corrections - correct in general?). I just bring this up because it helps to explain how the 911 system operates.

Albany 94,305 City Altamont 1,743 Village Berne 2,984 Town Bethlehem 28,660 Town Coeymans 8,170 Town Cohoes 16,333 City Colonie 76,000 Town Colonie 8,255 Village Green Island 2,349 Village Guilderland 30,050 Town Knox 2,657 Town Menands 4,626 Village New Scotland 8,964 Town Ravena 3,591 Village Rensselaerville 1,933 Town Voorheesville 3,091 Village Watervliet 10,340 City Westerlo 3,201 Town

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911 System Information

The Primary PSAPs in Albany County are - County Dispatch + Albany + Colonie + Guilderland + Bethlehem. In other words - if you dial 911 from a location in the City of Albany, the call will be routed to the Albany 911 Communications Center - if you call 911 from anywhere in the Town of Colonie, you will get connected to the Colonie 911 Comm Center - if you dial from within the Town of Guilderland you get Guilderland 911 Comm Center - if you dial 911 from anywhere in the Town of Bethlehem you get the Bethlehem 911 Comm Center - if you call from any other location in Albany County you will ring into the Albany County 911 Comm Center which is located in Vorheesville.

The only exceptions to this are - cellular 911 calls go to the State Police station in Albany; 911 calls from North Bethlehem go to the Guilderland 911 Comm Center; 911 calls from Westerloo go to the Greene County PSAP at State Police Station F in Leeds (who forward the call to Greene County Sheriff's Dispatch in Catskill).

Secondary PSAPs are located at Coeymans/Ravena, Watervliet, Cohoes, and Greene Island. Calls to the Secondary PSAPs are forwarded from the County Comm Center.

The County 911 Comm Center receives 911 calls from Coeymans, Ravena, Watervliet, Cohoes, Greene Island, New Scotland, Knox, Renselleaurville, and Voorheesville. EMD is conducted for all EMS calls. Albany County Sheriffs units are dispatched from the County 911 Center via 159.36. The 5 ALS units operated by the County ALS Program are also dispatched. Fire Control is colocated at the County 911 Center and they use the fire radio frequency of 154.415 to dispatch the following Fire & EMS agencies : Onesquethaw, New Salem, Voorheesville, Westerloo, Medusa, Knox, and Rensselerville.

Exceptions - The Medusa FD is primarily dispatched by the Greene County Dispatch Center via 46.14 - TriVillage/Preston Hollow FD is dispatched by Albany County, Schoharie County, and Greene County - the TriVillage Chief is "33-1" - part of Green Island might be in Rensselear County (Villages in NY can span Town and County borders) - 911 calls from the Capitol Complex are answered at the Albany 911 Center

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LIST OF FIRE PROTECTION AGENCIES

All areas of Albany County are protected by a fire department. There are no "unprotected" areas as you might find in Idaho, South Carolina, or Montana. Each agency listed below has its own Fire Chief, its own budget, its own funding sources, its own operating procedures, and its own rules and regulations.

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Sources of Info - [Fire Protection Districts from www.census.gov/govs/www/gid.html - Sept 2000 - in capital letters] + [2000 Directory of Fire and EMS]

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Alphabetical List of Fire Departments and Fire Districts

Albany FD

Altamont FD - a village FD physically located within the Town of Guilderland

BERNE FIRE DISTRICT

BOGHT COMMUNITY FIRE DIST - in Town of Colonie

COEYMANS FIRE DIST

COEYMANS CREEK FIRE DIST 4 - protected by Ravena FD

COEYMANS HOLLOW FIRE DIST

Cohoes FD

Colonie Village FD - in Colonie

DELMAR FIRE DIST - in Bethlehem

East Berne FD - in Berne

ELMWOOD PARK FIRE DIST - ?in Colonie - ?not in Albany County

ELSMERE FIRE DIST - in Bethlehem

FORT HUNTER FIRE DISTRICT - in Guilderland

Fuller Road - in Colonie

General Electric Company - Selkirk

Green Island

GUILDERLAND CENTER FIRE DIST - in Guilderland

GUILDERLAND FIRE DISTRICT - in Guilderland

KNOX FIRE DIST

Latham FD - in Colonie

Maplewood FD - in Colonie

MCKOWNVILLE FIRE DISTRICT - in Guilderland

Menands FD - in Colonie

MIDWAY FIRE DIST - in Colonie

New Salem VFD - in New Scotland (not listed in www.census.gov info nor 2K ND info)

North Bethlehem FD - in Bethlehem

Onesquethaw FD - in New Scotland

Ravena FD

Rensselaerville FD

SCHUYLER HEIGHTS FIRE DIST - in Colonie

SELKIRK FIRE DIST - in Bethlehem

Shaker Road Loudon FD - in Colonie

SLINGERLANDS FIRE DISTRICT - in Bethlehem

STANFORD HEIGHTS FIRE DIST - in Colonie

VERDOY FIRE DIST - in Colonie

Watervliet FD

Watervliet Arsenal FD

WEST ALBANY FIRE DISTRICT - in Colonie

Westerlo FD

WESTMERE FIRE DIST - in Guilderland

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Listing by Town, City, or Village

Albany - City - Albany FD

Altamont - Village - Altamont FD

Berne - Town - Berne FPD + East Berne FPD

Bethlehem - Town - Delmar FPD + Elsmere FPD + North Bethlehem FPD + Selkirk FPD + Slingerlands FPD

Coeymans - Town - Coeymans FPD + Coeymans Hollow FPD + Coeymans Creek FPD 4 + (Ravena Village FD)

Cohoes - Village - Cohoes FD

Colonie - Town - Boght FPD + + ?Elmwood Park FPD + Fuller Road FD + Latham FD + Maplewood FD + Midway FD + Schuyler Heights FD + Shaker Road Louden FD + Stanford Heights FD + Verdoy FD + West Albany FD + (Menands FD) + (Colonie Village FD)

Colonie - Village - Colonie FD

Green Island - Village - Green Island FD

Guilderland - Town - Fort Hunter FPD + Guilderland FPD + Guilderland Center FPD + McKownville FPD + Westmere FPD

Knox - Town - Knox FPD

Menands - Village - Menands FD

New Scotland - Town - Onesquethaw FD + (Voorheesville Village FD) + New Salem VFD

Ravena - Village - Ravena FD

Rensselaerville - Town - Rennselaerville FD

Voorheesville - Village - Voorheesville FD

Watervliet - City - Watervliet FD

Westerlo - Town - Westerlo FD

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If you are wondering what the difference between a "Fire Department" and a "Fire District" is - a Fire Department (FD) is part of a city, town, or village - the Fire Chief of a FD is usually appointed by the elected officials of the local government unit - a FD is primarily funded by the local municipal taxes.

A FD can also by a independant, private not-for-profit corporation which selects its own Chief from amongst its members. This type of FD receives funds from the local government and from fund-raising events. Some of the Fire Departments in the Town of Colonie might be this type of independant FD.

On the other hand, a Fire Protection District (FPD) is an independant governmental agency which protects (a section of) a city, town or village. The Chief of a FPD is chosen by the elected officials (fire commissioners) of the FPD. A FPD is funded by a FPD tax which is imposed on the residents of the FPD.

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EMS in Albany County

Emergency Medical Services (Ambulance Services) are provided persuant to state laws and regulations, and generally accepted national guidelines. Each municipality arranges its own EMS. Albany MedFlight operates a medical helicopter from the Albany Airport 24 - 7.

Albany County Sheriff Office Paramedic Program - 6 paramedics are on duty in locations around the county as part of this joint county/local program. Local towns can purchase coverage from this program if desired. Single paramedics in small trucks (Jeep Cherokees) operate from 5 locations. 1 roving paramedic covers countywide. See http://capital.net/~ems2/ for more info. The program started in 1996. 4 towns were initially covered. Now they cover 6 towns - 50,000 people - 350 square miles - 5500 calls per year - use 6 vehicles - have 47 people on staff (FT + PT). Medic 1 at Helderberg Amb - Medic 2 at Delmar FD - Medic 3 at Bethlehem Amb - Medic 4 at Ravena rescue - Medic 5 at New Scotland/Onesquethaw Rescue. Units are dispatched by Fire Control on 154.415R. Sheriff's Deputies do not routinely respond to all EMS calls in their patrol area.

Albany, City of - FD ALS Engines and Ladders summon private ambulances for transport (Mohawk Ambulance Company)

Altamont, Village of - Altamont Rescue Squad Inc

Berne, Town of - Berne Rescue Squad provides BLS ambulances - ALS by SO Program (1 paramedic on duty at Berne Fire Station equipped with a small truck)

Bethlehem, Town of - Bethlehem Volunteer Ambulance provides EMT-I ambulances + Delmar Rescue provides BLS ambulances

Coeymans, Town of - covered by Ravena Rescue Squad

Cohoes, City of - City FD rolls a ALS Engine with transpo by Mohawk Ambulance

Colonie, Town of - Town ALS Ambulance Service + Stanford Heights VFD (operate a EMS van for all EMS calls in their area)

Green Island, City of - City FD provides a ALS Engine with Mohawk Ambulance Service providing a transport unit (ambulance)

Guilderland, Town of - Guilderland EMS is ALS + Western Turnpike Rescue Squad provides BLS ambulances

Knox, Town of - no ALS - BLS amb provided by Berne Rescue Squad

Menands, Village of - ???

New Scotland, Town of - Onesquethaw Rescue Squad provides BLS ambos - ALS by SO ALS Program

Ravena, Village of - Ravena Rescue Squad provides EMT-I ambualnces to Ravena and Coeymans

Rensselaerville, Town of - Rensselaerville Ambulance

Voorheesville, Village of - Voorheesville Area Ambulance

Watervliet, City of - FD provides a ALS Engine and Mohawk Ambulance provides a BLS ambulance

Westerlo, Town of - Westerlo Rescue Squad

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from www.capitolimpact.com - October 2000

Law Enforcement Agencies in Albany County, New York

Agency - City - County - Type

Albany Co Coroner's Office - Albany - Albany - Med. Ex./Coroner

Albany Co Sheriff's Office - Albany - Albany - Sheriff's Office

Albany Police Dept - Albany Albany Municipal Police

Altamont Police Dept - Altamont Albany Municipal Police

Bethlehem Police Dept - Delmar Albany Municipal Police

Campus Security Dept - Albany Albany Special Police

Coeymans Police Dept - Ravena Albany Municipal Police

Cohoes Police Dept - Cohoes Albany Municipal Police

Colonie Town Police - Latham Albany Municipal Police

Director of Law Enforcement - Albany Albany Special Police

Div of Law Enforcement - Albany Albany Special Police

Green Island Police Dept - Green Island Albany Municipal Police

Guiderland Twp Police - Guilderland Albany Municipal Police

Menands Police Dept - Menands Albany Municipal Police

New York State Police - Albany Albany State Police

Ravena Police Dept - Ravena Albany Municipal Police

State Capitol Police - Albany Albany Special Police

Watervliet Police Dept - Watervliet Albany Municipal Police

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Websites

Albany County has their website at www.albanycounty.com

County ALS Unit is at http://capital.net/~ems2/ - has photos of Bethlehem R Sqd Bld and Ravena R Sqd Bld

Albany FD is barely online at www.ci.albant.ny.us

Albany PD is at www.apdonline.org - 334 staff - SCUBA team

Berne FD

Town of Bethlehem - has Bethlehem PD

Colonie FD

Delmar Fire - January 2000 last update

Elsmere FD

Elsmere FD at business website

Fuller Road FD at www.fire-ems.net

Ravena FD at www.fire-ems.net

Selkirk FD at www.fire-ems.net

Slingerlands FD at www.fire-ems.net

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File created - 7 October 2000 - Updated - 17Oct00 (EMS) - 02Nov00 - New Salem VFD

Find websites for helo amb + SAR + R Sqds + PDs - any local PDs dispatched on 159.36R (probably not) - review SP vs SO cover areas - confirm that R sqds are dispatched on 154.415

NY

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