County Announces Partnership with SUNY Cobleskill Paramedic Program
Published on March 18, 2026
KINGSTON, NY - Ulster County is pleased to announce the formation of a collaborative initiative with the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill to create and conduct an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic program in Ulster County. The Ulster County Legislature approved the program during its meeting Wednesday evening. The SUNY Cobleskill Paramedic Education Program, established in 1996, is widely regarded as one of the preeminent programs in New York State.
As an integral part of Ulster County’s Department of Emergency Services EMS Enhancement and Stabilization Plan, the Division of Emergency Medical Services received Course Sponsorship from the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Emergency Medical Services in 2025 to allow the County to instruct Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) courses at the basic level, increasing the number of EMTs within the County. This new partnership builds on that effort by enabling EMTs to pursue the highest level of certification — paramedic — without leaving the County where they live and serve. Locally-provided education, training, and support are core concepts of the County’s EMS Enhancement and Stabilization Plan and will help create viable careers in Emergency Medical Services for Ulster County residents for years to come.
“This partnership with SUNY Cobleskill is a major investment in the future of emergency medical services in Ulster County,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “By bringing high‑quality paramedic training close to home, we are opening doors for our EMTs to advance their careers while strengthening the emergency response system our residents rely on. This is exactly the kind of collaborative, community‑centered solution we need to build a more resilient EMS workforce. I want to thank Commissioner Everett Erichsen, Deputy County Executive Jamie Capuano, and our partners at SUNY Cobleskill for their leadership and commitment in making this program a reality.”
“Bringing paramedic education to Ulster County is a major step forward for our EMS system,” said Everett Erichsen, Ulster County Commissioner of Emergency Services. “This creates new opportunities for our EMTs, strengthens our local workforce, and helps ensure our communities receive the highest level of emergency medical care. This progress is a direct result of the continued hard work of our EMS Division and the strong support of County Executive Jen Metzger and her team.”
“SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech is proud to partner with Ulster County's Department of Emergency Services to expand access to high quality paramedic education in the Hudson Valley,” said Dr. Darcy Medica, SUNY Cobleskill Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Paramedic services demand rigorous, hands-on preparation and, together, we can create a clear pathway for people to enter a profession where they will make a profound difference in our communities. This is the kind of town-gown partnership that strengthens EMS capacity across the region, bringing new talent to a career field in which we cannot afford to be short-staffed.”
The SUNY Cobleskill Paramedic Education Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), and its instructional faculty has received numerous awards since its inception. Through the integration of advanced technology and innovative instructional methods, the program has set the standard for paramedic education across New York State.
This innovative model allows the program to prepare field-ready paramedics in approximately one year, helping meet the growing need for advanced EMS providers in communities across the state. The first Ulster County cohort will begin in August, with capacity for 15 students in the inaugural semester, and graduates are expected in August of 2027. The training location is currently being finalized and will be announced soon.
As Ulster County continues to address the challenges facing EMS throughout New York State, collaborations like this will help bring highly trained prehospital care providers to our residents while keeping Ulster County at the forefront of EMS innovation.
For more information on the SUNY Cobleskill Paramedic Education Program, visit www.cobleskill.edu/academics/programs/natural-sciences/paramedic.aspx