How many have you done?

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

Rockland EMT volunteers continue to serve passionately

By CHRISTINA JENG

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: August 23, 2007)

Ask the emergency medical technicians how many calls they've completed and they'll probably shrug their shoulders.

Linda Lenz's 6,000th call came and went with little personal fanfare, though her fellow EMTs at the Congers-Valley Cottage Volunteer Ambulance Corps waited with excited anticipation.

"Everyone was watching and counting and wondering who was going to be on the call when I made it," she said.

She added simply: "And then one afternoon it happened."

Steve Kaye, captain of the Spring Hill Community Ambulance Corps, really can't recall when he completed his 10,000th call, an astounding achievement to other volunteers, each call representing a life in danger.

"I don't know, a while ago," he said of the milestone. "I don't make a big deal out of it. It's not a big deal."

But ask the volunteers if they remember their first ride and they noticeably brighten.

"I remember my very first one," Lenz said. "That was the day of nerves, either lack of or too many."

Kaye, 66, easily recalled his adrenaline-pumping introduction to the ambulance corps - a car accident.

"It was one of worst ones I've ever been to in my entire life," he said, "the very first one."

Lenz and Kaye have been volunteers for their local corps for more than 30 years and both continue to humbly, but passionately, serve their neighbors thousands of calls later.

Kaye noted that if his numbers seem high, it's because Spring Hill answers more than double the amount of calls other corps do.

Other volunteers have poked fun at Kaye for his dedication, but nevertheless, both he and Lenz are highly regarded for their commitment.

"I get teased a lot. ... 'Don't you have a life?'" Kaye imitated with a chuckle.

Steve Stoltze, vice president of the Nyack Community Ambulance Corps, who's completed about 3,000 calls in about 20 years there, said that to even volunteer 10 years was no small feat.

"The dedication is extraordinary," he said.

To volunteer, Rockland residents must sacrifice time away from home or from work. The job can also take a toll on your emotions, he said.

"It's hard," said Stoltze, 41. "What we see and what we encounter is very stressful. A lot of people get burnt out and don't stay."

Kaye admitted that his devotion to the corps has resulted in entire nights away from home, missed meals and missed family parties.

"The real hero is my wife," he said, only half jokingly. "She's put up with this for 36 years."

Rockland EMS coordinator Kim Lippes said with many couples working two jobs so that they can afford to live in the county and the amount of time that goes into training to become and remain an EMT, the number of volunteers is dwindling.

There is no central agency that records the number of EMT volunteers in Rockland, but from data submitted by 14 corps, there are 1,185 members covering a county with about 250,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 population estimate.

That means less than half of 1 percent of Rockland's population volunteers with its ambulance corps. However, that number may be higher than the actual percentage of EMT volunteers because not all corps members are active.

Lenz's and Kaye's time with their respective corps is all the more admirable as the agencies attempt to recruit others and retain current members, Lippes said.

"They're very dedicated individuals, and we're lucky to have them," she said.

Asked if they ever considered quitting, both are quick to say no.

Kaye said along with the friends he's made, he finds satisfaction when he is able to help someone who's been injured.

"You don't know what it's like until you've saved somebody's life and their family thanks you," he said.

For Lenz, a horrific accident involving a childhood friend continues to motivate her to help others.

While growing up in the Bronx, a young Lenz and a group of friends were waiting for another of their pals to join them to play. Their friend, who was in a car when another vehicle ran a stop sign and crashed into it, was thrown from the car - right in front of them.

"None of the kids knew what to do. No grown-up knew what to do," she said, soberly. "No one knew what to do except to get an ambulance."

Their friend died, but Lenz continues to fight for the lives of others, always with a soft spot for young people.

"Makes up for my friend that died," she said. "In some ways. Especially if it's someone young."

Just think about how much money they could have made if they were PAID.

[RescueKujo 130]

People keep track???

[Goose 188]

Apparently...

[Guest alsfirefighter]

LOL....wow.

How many have I done...somedays I feel like 1 too many. Other days...keep em' comin.

[irishfire2491 24]

Volunteer Ambulance covering calls X2

Paid Ambulance X2

Buffing Other Corp/Departments X Many Times

Equals = TO MANY CALLS TO COUNT

[Remember585 815]

Probably done one or two....in God only knows how many uniforms though...

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

Why does somebody need to keep track? I remember my first call and that is it. Not sure when my last call will be but I can tell you that I won't remember it. Unless it is something good. 10,000 calls? I am not a math major but that means that he did 1 call EVERY DAY for 30+ Years.

Now here is the problem. If they both leave the AMB CORPS are there other members to do the calls? It sounds like they have been doing a brunt of the calls for a long time.

That is the PROBLEM around here. You see the same faces on all the calls. What happens when they leave?