IN THIS ISSUE
President’s Letter: Fully Staffed
A Conversation with Emergency Room Doctor and Paramedic Eleanor Ragone
Concert to Benefit SBAS: April 11, 2026 at 6pm
Black Bear Training Gets an AED
Last Thoughts: Think Before You Refuse
President’s Letter: Fully Staffed
Despite the challenge in recruiting new paramedics and EMTs, I am pleased to announce that Southern Berkshire Ambulance (SBAS) is now fully staffed.
Over the past three months, we have added two new paramedics and three new EMTs. This brings our total staff to 16 full-time and 16 part-time emergency medical professionals. They are currently going through orientation and will join our regular rotation when their training is complete.
This makes it easier for us to staff three ambulances during the day and two during the evening—without paying existing staff overtime to cover open shifts.
We remain concerned about the status of insurance. The federal government cut nearly $1 trillion from the Medicaid program last year and made it more difficult for folks to stay on their insurance. So far this year, we have seen a significant decline—over 30 percent—in insurance revenues compared to last year. The good news is with the help of our town partners and donations, we are still making our budget numbers.
Thanks to all for recognizing that regardless of what our state and federal partners do, emergency 911 service has to work. We live in aging communities where demand for emergency services is much higher per capita than the state at large. This funding is critical to maintaining the staffing that allows us to keep our ambulances on the road when you need them.
Jim Santos
50 Year Volunteer & President, SBAS
A conversation with Fairview Emergency Room Doctor and SBAS Paramedic Eleanor Ragone
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Dr. Ragone sat down with Patrick White, our CFO, at CTSB-TV in Lee. The two had a wide-ranging conversation on Fairview, SBAS, and the state of emergency care in South County. Worth a watch!
Join us in support of local emergency medical services
Join us for a night of music with Jordan Weller & The Feathers to support Southern Berkshire Ambulance, a Berkshire County EMS nonprofit.
Saturday, April 11, 6-10 p.m.
Taggart House
18 Main St., Stockbridge, MA 01262
Benefit Concert: Southern Berkshire Ambulance
Join your hosts Caitlin and George Manley and Patrick White at Taggart House for a live performance by Jordan Weller & The Feathers! This benefit concert supports the hardworking team at Southern Berkshire Ambulance. Catch a great performance, enjoy margaritas from Wild Common Tequila, and a taco experience from Tom Ellis and Swell Party. All this in support of Southern Berkshire Ambulance, the linchpin of South County emergency medical services.
Tickets are $100 each. Click here to purchase.
Black Bear Training gets an AED
SBAS recently presented an automated external defibrillator (AED) to Megan Arthur-Sayers, owner of Black Bear Training in Ashley Falls. SBAS Treasurer John Halbreich and Chief of Operations Kevin Wall made the presentation on behalf of the organization.
An AED is a life-saving device used in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. When used quickly, an AED can dramatically increase survival rates by delivering a controlled electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. Having AEDs readily available in community locations ensures that immediate care can begin even before emergency responders arrive.
“Early defibrillation saves lives,” said Halbreich. “By placing AEDs throughout our communities, we strengthen the chain of survival and give people a fighting chance in a cardiac emergency.”
Southern Berkshire Ambulance provides advanced life support and paramedic services to Ashley Falls, Sheffield, and neighboring South County communities. SBAS remains committed to improving emergency preparedness and expanding access to life-saving equipment throughout the region.
Last thoughts: Think before you refuse
More people than you might expect call 911—and then decline the ambulance that shows up. It is worth taking a moment to think about that decision before you make it.
If you or a loved one placed that call, there was a reason. Trust that instinct. Second-guessing yourself in the middle of a medical emergency is rarely a good idea, and our crew is already there, ready to get you evaluated on the way to Fairview’s emergency room.
The tricky thing about medical emergencies is that serious conditions don’t always feel serious. Strokes, heart attacks, and concussions are classic examples—symptoms can seem manageable in the moment while something significant is happening beneath the surface. What feels like a headache or a little dizziness can be something your body is urgently trying to tell you.
So… if the ambulance is already in your driveway, take the ride. There is very little to lose and potentially everything to gain.
Thank you!
We face a great deal of uncertainty right now. How government cuts to programs like Medicare and Medicaid will trickle down to ambulance insurance payments is anyone’s guess. If there is a shortfall, we will need to cover it with donations. If you are able, please consider donating either online here or if you prefer to donate by sending a check:
Southern Berkshire Ambulance
31 Lewis Ave.
Great Barrington, MA 01230
Thanks for reading this! We will be back next month with more news and information to keep you safe and help you live your best life. We are working on some great options and presentations for our partner towns for this cycle’s budget.
About Southern Berkshire Ambulance
SBAS provides primary 911 coverage for the towns of Alford, Ashley Falls, Egremont, Great Barrington, Housatonic, Monterey, Mount Washington, and Sheffield. SBAS also covers the portion of southern Stockbridge known as the Furnace District.
SBA provides advanced lifesaving paramedic intercept services to the towns of New Marlborough, Otis, Richmond, Sandisfield, and West Stockbridge when available. SBA supports ambulance needs throughout the county through formal mutual aid agreements covering most of the southern half of Berkshire County.
