North Country emergency crews concerned over reduced hours at border crossings [Video]

Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that nearly 40 ports of entry into Canada would be shortening their hours, affecting some crossings in Vermont and northern New York. Local emergency services teams are now voicing concerns about how these changes could impact their ability to respond to emergencies near the border.One of the affected crossings is the Port of Entry in Chateauguay, which will see reduced hours starting Jan. 6. The port will only be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. instead of 24 hours a day.Officials from the Chateauguay Volunteer Fire Company are particularly worried about the reduced availability of emergency medical services from Quebec. Assistant Chief Ron Chase of the Chateauguay Fire Company expressed his concern over the situation. “It’s a very unfortunate thing that they’re doing as far as the fire and EMS organizations,” Chase said.The fire company often relies on EMS crews and …