Orange County Sheriff’s Office adds second FLY-Car funded by Sen. Skoufis grant

Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta announced the purchase of a second FLY‑Car unit on Feb. 21, 2026, saying grant funding from State Senator James Skoufis (D, Orange County) made the expansion possible. The office posted the announcement from Goshen on its official Facebook page and said the additional vehicle will build on a pilot program launched last summer.

The FLY‑Car program, launched July 15, 2025 after nearly two years of dedicated effort, places Basic Life Support capability into sheriff’s vehicles to reach areas where conventional Emergency Medical Services can take longer than 10 minutes to arrive. “When we introduced the FLY‑Car program to Orange County, the goal was simple: reach people faster and save lives,” Sheriff Arteta said in the department’s announcement.

Sheriff officials say the program currently fields six certified EMTs assigned to FLY‑Cars and that since the July launch the units have responded to more than 50 medical calls across more than 10 jurisdictions in Orange County. Reported call types include mental health calls, vehicular accidents, cardiac incidents, and other traumatic injuries; jurisdictions for deployment are selected in coordination with Orange County Emergency Services when local EMS response times exceed 10 minutes.

Equipment in each unit includes state-of-the-art devices for on-scene resuscitation, most notably a LUCAS mechanical chest compression system. Wvdispatch identified the model as the Stryker LUCAS 3 Chest Compression System, and other news releases note the device can deliver about 102 compressions per minute. The Sheriff’s Office has credited the program and its equipment with at least one documented life saved, though officials have not released patient or incident details.

Training and partnerships have been integral to the pilot. The Hudson Valley Regional EMS Council hosted in-person training for fly‑car members on helicopter safety and air methods and offered a lecture on pediatric trauma versus adult trauma, while Garnet Health Medical Center and Orange County EMS are listed as partners in ongoing continuous education for the unit’s deputy EMTs.

Senator James Skoufis praised the funding decision, saying, “I applaud the Sheriff’s Office for their innovative initiative to assist with the EMS crisis here in Orange County. They’re stepping up at a time when so many communities face enormous challenges, ensuring response times are quick and care is delivered. I am delighted to support the department’s efforts with funding for a new vehicle to further help bridge the gap between that initial 911 call and the arrival of trained professionals.”

Sheriff Arteta added a broader view of the program’s value: “The FLY‑Car is more than a patrol vehicle- it is a lifeline. This program has allowed us to cut response times, and as a result, families in our county still have their loved ones. That is what makes this program worth every effort.” The department’s Facebook post showing the Feb. 21 announcement recorded 108 reactions, seven comments and 14 shares, and officials said they will continue to expand the pilot while details such as grant amount, delivery timeline for the new vehicle, and a full list of jurisdictions served remain to be released.