MONTICELLO – Responding to emergencies in rural areas can be difficult. Oftentimes, the combination of distance and less infrastructure presents unique challenges, but one Hudson Valley county thinks the solution is on four wheels.

In Sullivan County, they’re counting on "fly cars" to make a difference.

“Get to some scenes and some emergencies a little bit quicker in a more dynamic utility vehicle than you can in a van, ambulance or a full size ambulance," said paramedic Nick Cavallucci, who drives one of the new fly cars. 

Amid a shortage of EMS, the county paid SeniorCare EMS $5.4 million over two years to provide and staff four fly cars. The fly cars are strategically placed throughout the county to fill in the gaps in communities that are typically furthest from ambulances. They’re meant to get on scenes quickly, render aid, but wait for the ambulance to arrive to transport patients.

They’ve been in service in the county for two months. Cavallucci says they’re already making a huge difference by shaving 15 minutes off the average 911 response time.

“Cardiac arrest, you really only have a couple of minutes," he said. "From the time that it happens to be able to initiate CPR amongst the other resuscitative efforts, to actually be able to reverse it and provide someone with good chances of not only survival, but neurologically intact survival as well." 

Cavallucci appreciates the work he’s doing in the fly car, like when he helped deliver a premature baby. Today, mom and baby are doing great.

“Make a difference in someone's life, whether it be to save them or and improve their life. Or sometimes, some people, the best thing I ever do for them is just talk to them, some people need someone to talk to sometimes," he said.