Cambridge Valley Rescue Squad, Inc

05/20/2026

In August of last year we lost our colleague, Kevin Robert, to a medical emergency while he was serving at his job with LifeNet of NY. Kevin also served as a paramedic with our agency for a few years and remained a close friend to many of our members. He was more than just a colleague. He was a listening ear for a call debrief, a parking lot cigar smoking buddy, a constant educator and mentor, and a paramedic who embodied what it truly meant to live in service to others. His impact on the profession lives on in those whose lives he impacted: colleagues, friends, and patients.

Yesterday, May 19th, members of our organization joined other EMS agencies from all over New York State at the NYS EMS Memorial site which resides on the Empire State Plaza for their annual dedication ceremony. During this ceremony, providers who lost their lives in the line of duty are honored for giving the ultimate sacrifice and a star of life in their honor is added to the memorial tree. This year Kevin, along with eight others, had their names added to the memorial.

The memorial has over 140 names on it and is permanently on display at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, NY. If you have a chance to visit it, please do so, as it stands as a powerful and solemn reminder that behind every name is a life dedicated to serving others — and that sometimes the cost of that service is everything.

05/15/2026

Last week we took delivery of our newest ambulance. 2255 is a 2024 Demers Ford Transit van purchased from North Eastern Rescue Vehicles. It went in service just in time to participate in covering The Battenkill cycling race last weekend!

CVRS maintains a fleet of five ambulances in order to ensure adequate coverage of our primary response district as well as our many other commitments including county gap coverage, interfacility transfers, and mutual aid responses in Washington County (NY), Rensselaer County (NY), and Vermont.

While our silver and blue box ambulances aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, the purchase of this new AWD van ambulance allows the agency to reduce operating costs through improved fuel efficiency and lower overall expenses, helping to strengthen our long-term fiscal stability while still providing reliable service to the community.

Photo credit: Colby Brundige (Paramedic) and Dieter Drake (Battenkill)

05/09/2026

⚠🚴‍♀️🚴🚴‍♂️ BATTENKILL BICYCLE RACE TODAY 🚴‍♀️🚴🚴‍♂️⚠
The Battenkill bicycle race kicks off TODAY, Saturday, May 9th from the Village of Cambridge NY. The Battenkill event includes a number of different races with varying levels of experienced riders and course length, the event is expected to include approximately 700 registered riders.

Races kick-off at 8:00 AM and routes vary by race and include roadways through the Village of Cambridge and Towns of Argyle, White Creek, Greenwich, Jackson, Salem, and Hebron.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR BICYCLES
If you're planning to be traveling through the southern areas of the county today, BE AWARE and PLAN AHEAD for bicycle traffic and traffic delays along the race route areas.

THANK YOU to our many Public Safety partners and field agencies who are assigned to today's event to help ensure everyone can enjoy the event safely!

Looking for more info on the event? Visit their website here: https://anthemsportstours.com/battenkill

04/29/2026

At the end of March, this Spectrum News article highlighted how community paramedicine programs—like the one right here at Cambridge Valley Rescue Squad—are helping fill critical gaps in rural EMS.

Cambridge Valley was proud to be one of the first agencies in New York State to implement a community paramedicine program—bringing care directly into patients’ homes, improving access, and reducing unnecessary hospital visits.

This isn’t just the future of EMS—it’s happening now.

👉 Take a few minutes to read the article and watch the embedded video to see the impact for yourself:
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2026/03/24/community-paramedicine-rural-ems

💬 If this program has helped you or a loved one, we’d love to hear your story—share in the comments. Have questions about how it works or how to access it? Drop those below too. And if you believe in what this program is doing, please share this post to help spread the word.

With rural EMS on the brink, the Cambridge paramedicine team brings critical care to patients' homes instead of the ER.

03/22/2026

As we continue our series highlighting CVRS members who are advancing their education while working in EMS, we’re proud to recognize Kaitlyn Garretto, AEMT.

Kaitlyn joined CVRS in 2019 and is currently pursuing a degree in psychology, with the goal of working in neuropsychology and research, particularly in areas related to trauma and forensic psychology.

Her experience in EMS has played a major role in shaping that path. Through patient care, Kaitlyn has seen firsthand how neurological injury, hypoxia, substance use, psychiatric illness, and acute stress can impact cognition, behavior, and decision-making. These real-world experiences have fueled her interest in understanding the underlying biological and cognitive mechanisms behind those changes.

She is especially interested in how trauma affects memory, emotional regulation, and executive functioning—and how research can improve assessment and intervention strategies for patients.

Kaitlyn credits her time at CVRS with strengthening her observational skills, critical thinking, and ability to assess patients under pressure. These skills not only make her a strong provider, but also directly support her academic and professional goals.

We’re proud to support Kaitlyn as she continues her education and grateful for the insight, dedication, and perspective she brings to our team and our patients. Please join us in recognizing her as she works toward this exciting future in neuropsychology and research.

03/17/2026

A Mud U Cambridge Event! Mud U Cambridge, NY

Recently retired and looking for something to do? New to the community and interested in helping out? Feel like you want to do more for your community? Come see what Cambridge has to offer at Mud U’s Volunteer Fair! Local volunteer/member based organizations will be present and ready to tell you all about what they do and how you can help. Local non-profits, youth sports organizations, senior support organizations—there will be something for everyone!

If you’ve ever been curious about what the rescue squad provides to our community—or how you can be a part of it—we’d love to meet you! Stop by and chat with our team at the volunteer fair to learn more.

We are always looking for dedicated volunteers interested in patient care, but there are so many other ways to get involved too. We welcome individuals with skills or interests in areas like grant writing, fundraising, public relations, community outreach, event planning, administrative support, social media management, and more.

Whether you want to be on the front lines or support behind the scenes, there’s a place for you here—and every role makes a difference.

Come see how you can help serve your community!

Tickets available at: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/muducambridge/2032065

03/12/2026

Our very own Chief Mark Spiezio sits on the Rural Ambulance Task Force and helped write this report that went to NYS legislators to provide awareness of the challenges facing rural EMS.
Additionally, a photo of a CVRS ambulance taken at Elm Spring Farm in White Creek, NY graces the cover of the report.

A link to the full report is in the comments on this post.

State lawmakers assembled the task force to find solutions to funding and staffing challenges.

03/08/2026

Today is International Women's Day and we want to celebrate the incredible women of the Cambridge Valley Rescue Squad and women everywhere who serve in emergency medical services. Your compassion, steadiness, and strength show up in life’s most critical moments, bringing comfort and care when people need it most.

Women continue to shape the future of EMS. Nationally, they make up roughly one-quarter to one-third of EMTs and paramedics — and that number continues to grow as more women step into careers in pre-hospital medicine and public safety.

At CVRS, women are a vital part of our team — 27 of our 59 members — serving our community as attendants, drivers, EMTs, AEMTs, and Paramedics. On scene, in the ambulance, and behind the scenes, your dedication and teamwork help make exceptional patient care possible every day.

Thank you for the heart, professionalism, and quiet courage you bring to every call.

“Here’s to strong women: May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”

02/23/2026

Last Thursday our medical director, Dr. John Broderick presented a class on supraglottic airways in preparation for iGels to be placed in service from the BLS to ALS level.
Twenty-two providers from our agency, Easton-Greenwich Rescue Squad, Salem Rescue Squad, and Hoosick Regional EMS were in attendance.
While it is required for all providers to do continuing education, it is important to note that all of these people gave up personal time on a Thursday night to learn a new skill that will allow for better care of our future patients.

02/12/2026

Congratulations to Colby Brundige on earning his New York State Paramedic certification!

Many of us first got to know Colby during ALS intercepts with Petersburgh EMS, where he also rides. From those early calls, it was clear he had the work ethic, calm presence, and heart for this job. When he chose to complete his paramedic field internship with CVRS, we were thrilled — and somewhere along the way, he stopped feeling like “the medic student” and just became part of the family.

Becoming a paramedic in New York State is a huge commitment. Programs typically run 12–18 months and include more than 1,000 hours of education and hands-on training. That means extensive classroom time learning advanced cardiology, pharmacology, airway management, and trauma care; hundreds of hours in hospital clinical rotations; and a rigorous field internship responding to real 911 calls under the supervision of experienced paramedic preceptors. It’s long days, late nights, tough exams, and a lot of dedication.

Colby put in the work every step of the way — and now he’s officially a NYS Paramedic and a full member of CVRS.

We’re proud of you, Colby. Thank you for choosing to grow with us and serve this community. We can’t wait to see all the great things you’ll continue to do.