KERHONKSON – Ulster County Sheriff’s deputies investigated a one-car crash on Route 209 in the vicinity of the Dollar General store in Kerhonkson at around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in which a vehicle struck a utility pole, a fence, and a valve to an underground propane tank that caused a significant propane leak.

The service company that owns the tank, Amerigas, was unable to stop the leak, so Route 209 was shut down and traffic was detoured to Clay Hill Road and Sampsonville Road until midnight.  Nearby residents were evacuated, according to the Accord Fire Chief.

Kerhonkson and Accord fire departments responded and used a nearby hydrant to spray the leak until the propane tank had bled off all its gas.

The driver of the vehicle, a 47-year-old woman from Staten Island, was uninjured.

Assisting at the scene were the State Transportation Department, state troopers, and Ulster County Department of Emergency Management.

The accident remains under investigation and the authorities remained at the scene until the could be removed safely.  An Amerigas technician stayed with fire officials for the entire time.

PAWLING – Pawling firefighters battled adverse conditions Saturday night and saved a house from being destroyed by a fire. A faulty chimney is the likely cause of the fire at 26 Frenchmans Lane, according to Chief Everett White.

When the volunteers responded to the call at approximately 11:24 p.m., it was four degrees outside with substantial winds blowing from the north, which caused equipment malfunctions that the crew had to overcome, White noted.

The fire department was dispatched for a chimney fire with possible extension at the Frenchmans Lane residence after the occupants, who were using the fireplace, noticed smoke and a “brown spot” on the wall above the fireplace.

First arriving crews found a heavy smoke condition in the residence with fire in the walls extending to the attic. Chief White said that the small crew of firefighters worked fast and prevented a disaster.  “The fire was about three minutes away from going through the roof vent.  If that fire went through the vent it would have been pushed by the wind and the roof would have burned rapidly.  Our dedicated volunteers used their training, prevented a true disaster, and did it by themselves.” The bulk of the fire was knocked down in about 15 minutes.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping chimneys in good working order and having them inspected on a regular basis,” Chief White said.  “Simple tasks like checking smoke detectors and cleaning chimneys save lives.”

When the firefighters finished the job, they were heading back to the station when they happened upon a two-car accident on Route 22.  After rendering aid at the accident, the first responders returned to the firehouse to restore the equipment used during the calls before heading home.

ALBANY – A pair of his bills aimed at improving safety standards for residents and workers in adult care and nursing home facilities have been signed into law. The two bills, S1783 and S1784A, sponsored by Senator James Skoufis (D, Cornwall) implement a nursing home infectious disease inspection protocol as well as a new requirement for every long term care facility to establish infectious disease quality assurance plans. Failure to adhere to these new standards will result in the nursing home losing state funding.

Amid the summer 2020 wave of COVID-19, the unpreparedness of nursing homes led them to become the unofficial epicenters of the pandemic, Skoufis noted. These new measures promote proficiency, safety, and preparedness, while setting quality assurance standards to protect the health and wellbeing of residents and employees alike, he said. The legislation was developed following 20 hours of oversight hearings that Skoufis led, examining the COVID nursing home crisis

“Those working or living in residential care facilities saw firsthand the life and death consequences of COVID-19, as lapses in safety and the fragility of our healthcare industry emerged,” said Skoufis. “Following the legislature’s August 2020 hearings on residential health care facilities, there was no missing the critical need for reform.”  That led to the codification of the safeguards, he said.

“As we experience the massive increase in COVID-19 in our nursing homes and other health care settings, we are again reminded why infection control is so critical to protecting residents and long term care staff,” said 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East Executive Vice President Greg Speller.

“The New York State Nurses Association has consistently advocated for stronger regulation of the healthcare industry to improve staffing, quality of care, and to protect the health and safety of patients, residents, and front-line staff,” said NYSNA Executive Director Pat Kane, RN. “The ravages of the COVID pandemic in our nursing homes and long-term care facilities would have been less severe if more stringent safeguards had been in place. These measures, along with recently enacted staffing standards, will help us to prepare for and avoid future catastrophes.”

PORT JERVIS – The air temperature was 4 degrees, and wind chill factor minus 11, as approximately 40 daring swimmers plunged into the Delaware River at Port Jervis first thing Saturday morning.

Port Jervis Fire Department chiefs and crew provided these numbers, along with a river temperature reading of 32 degrees, as they carved out a rectangle clearing from ice coating the Delaware River.  This was the designated 9 a.m. plunge area along West End Beach.

Ice chunks flowed swiftly past as the 40-plus participants “plunged” to varying depths, some knee-deep and some all the way under.  This was all within close watch of the fire department Water Operations Team members who were stationed to cover all areas of the plunge area.

Many who took part in this Third Annual Polar Plunge were first-time participants.  An equally large percentage were return participants. One of the youngest repeat participants was nine-year-old McKinley Fuller, who has participated in all three of Port’s Polar Plunges.  She said this year’s temperatures gave her a different water and land experience, but she still enjoyed it a lot and is glad to be able to help through this event.

“It was really fun.  It just felt like I was walking on nails when I first got back on the beach,” McKinley said. “But I really enjoyed it.”

Roaring fire pits helped warm the participants after they changed into dry clothing and shoes or huddled in bathrobes and blankets many brought with them.

First time participant Krista Haley teamed up with her husband and a friend to take the plunge. Haley’s husband, Eric Haley, is an RN in Bon Secours Community Hospital, and their friend Lisa Everele is a volunteer with Port Jervis Ambulance Corps.  Krista said all three enjoyed the event and may repeat the experience in the future. “It was so much fun.  It was awesome,” she said.

All funds raised will benefit Port’s Water Operations Team and Port Jervis Recreation Department, co-sponsors of the event.  Some of the funds have been designated for use by the recreation department for summer lifeguard certifications for the summer programs.

AMENIA – State Police and multiple ambulances responded to a reported stabbing at an apartment building on South Amenia Road on Sunday at approximately 11:55 a.m.  The first victim was allegedly stabbed in the head multiple times.

Initial police radio transmissions indicated that the wife of the first victim was attempting to detain the suspect while waiting for the police to arrive.  It was noted that CPR was in progress on the victim.

When the first Troopers arrived at 173 S. Amenia Road, they indicated that they had the suspect in custody, allowing EMS personnel to proceed to the scene.

EMS personnel requested two additional ambulances to the scene to treat another two victims that were located.

The story will be updated as information becomes available.