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Rockland Paramedic Services Adds CYANOKIT to Enhance Emergency Response

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Rockland Paramedic Services (RPS) has expanded its advanced life support capabilities by adding CYANOKIT®, a lifesaving antidote used to treat suspected cyanide poisoning caused by smoke inhalation during enclosed-space fires.

The medication allows paramedics to begin treatment before patients reach the hospital, improving emergency care for both residents and firefighters.

While smoke inhalation is often associated with carbon monoxide, modern house fires also produce hydrogen cyanide when synthetic materials such as furniture, plastics and electronics burn. Exposure to both toxins can quickly become life-threatening if left untreated.

Studies have found cyanide poisoning in about half of enclosed-space fire survivors and nearly 60% of fire-related fatalities, highlighting the importance of rapid treatment.

RPS has placed 14 CYANOKITs throughout its fleet, ensuring the antidote is readily available across Rockland County. The investment reflects the agency’s ongoing commitment to providing advanced, evidence-based emergency medical care for the community and its first responders.

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Police/Fire/EMS

Ramapo Police Halt Test of Advanced License Plate Reader Cameras

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Ramapo Police Chief Daniel Hyman announced that the department will not move forward with a planned test of a new generation of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, citing privacy concerns and the need to balance law enforcement technology with constitutional protections.

Hyman said the technology being considered goes beyond the department’s existing fixed license plate readers. While current cameras primarily capture license plates to help identify wanted or stolen vehicles and assist with criminal investigations, the newer systems include advanced investigative analytics and vehicle-identification capabilities.

“Those capabilities can provide tremendous value to law enforcement, but they also raise legitimate questions about privacy and the appropriate limits of government technology,” Hyman said.

Hyman emphasized that the decision does not affect the traditional fixed LPR cameras currently used by the Ramapo Police Department and does not represent a rejection of license plate reader technology overall.

Instead, he said the department is exercising caution because of the expanded capabilities of the newer systems.

“Our responsibility is to protect both” public safety and constitutional protections, Hyman said.

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Police/Fire/EMS

Two Hospitalized After Crash on Kings Highway in Valley Cottage

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Emergency crews responded to a motor vehicle collision Sunday morning on Kings Highway, where two people were transported to the hospital.

Medic 5, RPS 8, Congers-Valley Cottage Ambulance and the Valley Cottage Fire Department responded to the scene.

Two patients were transported to Montefiore Nyack Hospital in stable condition.

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