Emergency personnel and first responders had their hands full across the Hudson Valley over the holiday weekend, responding to structure fires and a fatal road accident.
The Orange County commissioner of emergency services talked about what kind of calls they received for service over the July Fourth weekend.
As Hudson Valley residents looked to the sky to watch fireworks, first responders were hard at work responding to over 160 emergency calls in Orange County alone.
"It was a beautiful weather weekend up here in the Hudson Valley. Orange County was very busy, and emergency services crews were busy also," Orange County Commissioner of Emergency Services Brendan Casey said.
What You Need To Know
- Experts warn against setting off fireworks yourself; Orange County emergency management officials see several fireworks-related injuries every July 4 weekend
- An 8-year-old child drowned in a family pool in the Town of Wallkill over the holiday weekend
- In Goshen, firefighters battled a fire that destroyed a family's home
In Goshen, firefighters on July 4 responded to a massive fire that ripped through a family home.
While emergency calls over the July 4 holiday weekend were down over the past two years of the pandemic, first responders are seeing a return to the typical high holiday call volume.
"The last two years, 2020 and 2021, were sort of outliers, so were back to normal traffic," Casey said.
A family in the town of Wallkill lost their 8-year-old child in a drowning.
"It looks like this family had purchased a residence and they just uncovered the pool, so the pool wasn’t clear yet and the child went into the pool, and couldn't be seen from the surface," Casey said. "The father and uncle went in. They weren’t able to retrieve the child, but luckily, there was a off-duty Silverlake firefighter who was right around the corner. When the call went out, he pulled in and dove in the water and got the child out and actually saved the life of the uncle."
Casey gave a few tips on how to keep your family and friends safe the rest of the summer. He said it's best to avoid drinking alcohol while swimming or boating, especially if you’re operating a boat.
People should also stay hydrated at all times, and remember to check on elderly family members and neighbors when temperatures rise. Lastly, don’t drink and drive or drive under the influence of marijuana.
Orange County is offering free First Aid and CPR training to local organizations.
To sign up for CPR training, contact Frank Cassanite at (845) 615-0467.
