Are Volunteer Ambulance Corps a thing of the past in Westchester?

[Flashpoint 94]

Though Mount Kisco still maintains a strictly volunteer corps, it’s becoming an anomaly among Westchester’s ambulance agencies. Most of the 45 ambulance agencies in Westchester call themselves a VAC, or volunteer ambulance corps, but if you dial 911 during a weekday, you’re likely to get a responder who collects a check for services that were once provided for free by a volunteer. It’s a trend that’s impacting town budgets and ultimately residents’ tax bills across the county.

http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/April-2015/Are-Volunteer-Ambulance-Corps-A-thing-Of-The-Past-In-Westchester/#.VR_DDkUZuOw.twitter

[trauma74 111]

This is pretty much the same thing that is happening in Rockland and Orange Counties. In Orange County, there is only 2 or 3 VACs that are still operating with all volunteers. In Rockland, I think that every VAC has paid EMTs with the exception of Hatzolah & New Square EMS.

[SECTMB 612]

They should be, for the benefit of those who need assistance and can't wait for repeated tone outs.

[EMT111 149]

This is pretty much the same thing that is happening in Rockland and Orange Counties. In Orange County, there is only 2 or 3 VACs that are still operating with all volunteers. In Rockland, I think that every VAC has paid EMTs with the exception of Hatzolah & New Square EMS.

actually, orange county has a bunch of ambulance corps that are still all volunteer. Town of Montgomery, pine bush, Kiryas Joel, greenwood lake, pine island, warwick, lenape, and Woodbury.

[vtach39680 23]

To be correct. Hatzohla, New Square, and Kiryas Joel all employee paid non Jewish staff for shabbos and the observed holidays

[somebuffyguy 190]

To be correct. Hatzohla, New Square, and Kiryas Joel all employee paid non Jewish staff for shabbos and the observed holidays

You mean they don't roll on shabbos ?

[Morningjoe 162]

You mean they don't roll on shabbos ?

[Dinosaur 844]

This reminds me of the series that Gannett ran in the late 1980's. I believe the title was "where you live could cost your life?"
Here we are almost 30 years later lamenting the same problems.

So much for progress.

[STAT213 332]

They do roll on the Sabbath. But, they can't do WORK. Unless its an emergency. So, they can drive TO the call, but NOT back from the call. Cause, then, its not a mergency no more.

[INIT915 1,119]

They do roll on the Sabbath. But, they can't do WORK. Unless its an emergency. So, they can drive TO the call, but NOT back from the call. Cause, then, its not a mergency no more.

I wonder, does this vary by area? Years ago when I worked as a Medic at Scarsdale VAC, a few Conservative/Orthodox Jewish members (non-Hasidim), did drive and work on the Sabbath for calls, even driving back from the hospital.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I wonder, does this vary by area? Years ago when I worked as a Medic at Scarsdale VAC, a few Conservative/Orthodox Jewish members (non-Hasidim), did drive and work on the Sabbath for calls, even driving back from the hospital.

It would potentially vary by sect/ individual Rabbis interpretation of the "rules".

[87D124 37]

actually, orange county has a bunch of ambulance corps that are still all volunteer. Town of Montgomery, pine bush, Kiryas Joel, greenwood lake, pine island, warwick, lenape, and Woodbury.

Those VACs are still volunteer, for now. I can see some paid staff in the future for some of them. The majority of the remaining VACs in OC have paid staff, either full time or part time to supplement the volunteers.

[trauma74 111]

Out of the remaining VACs in Orange County that are still volunteer, how many of them frequently do not get a crew for a call and have to mutual aid it to another agency?

[velcroMedic1987 330]

You mean they don't roll on shabbos ?

In Rockland they used to use paid drivers on the Sabbath and holidays. He would drive for them and the EMT's were allowed to treat, etc. during the call. I don't know if they use the same system today.

[201/65 94]

actually, orange county has a bunch of ambulance corps that are still all volunteer. Town of Montgomery, pine bush, Kiryas Joel, greenwood lake, pine island, warwick, lenape, and Woodbury.

The Town of Montgomery AC staffs M-F 6a-6p with 2 EMTs.

[x635 4,066]

This article hits on a lot of good points.

I think the system on a whole, on how EMS is delivered in Westchester, needs to be re-evaluated. Is each individual system paying EMT's a solid long term solution, or just a short term fix?

[STAT213 332]

There are plenty of good EMS systems out there. Boston, King county, la county, some of the counties around DC come to mind. Westchester is not a system. It's a patchwork of solutions to issues. Without leadership, it won't change. Because, quite frankly, the people don't care. They do not care what the ambulance has written on it. They want someone to show up, be nice to them, fix them and get them to a hospital. With a pillow and a blanket. Seriously, that came out in a study/survey in Syracuse.

So unless someone inside or outside the system will step up and begin to build solutions, y'all are stuck with what ya got.

Ever notice that those model systems have a tribute page on their website to the visionary that made it happen? That's not by accident. Step up and lead if you want it fixed. Take charge of the EMS council and push. Read some of the tributes to visionary leaders. They have words like relentless, tireless, pursuing, energetic in them. Again, for a reason.

[Jybehofd 85]

in the long run yes. the true question is when? I hate to say it but it happens. I started as a volunteer and enjoyed it. But the nature of it is to destory itself from the inside out. Becoming a giant political atmosphere with clicks and groups of people that single out and yes bully others at times. And in the end those groups fall apart and go away and few are actually left. The foundation of the volunteer agency is pure, help your neighbor in a time of need, if you are able to respond.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Jybehofd

[ex-commish 490]

in the long run yes. the true question is when? I hate to say it but it happens. I started as a volunteer and enjoyed it. But the nature of it is to destory itself from the inside out. Becoming a giant political atmosphere with clicks and groups of people that single out and yes bully others at times. And in the end those groups fall apart and go away and few are actually left. The foundation of the volunteer agency is pure, help your neighbor in a time of need, if you are able to respond.

True statement. I have witnessed first hand how clicks single out people and bully them. Sad part is many of those in these clicks are elected by the public in good faith to make sure the agency is doing the right thing but instead using their authority to throw people out for no good reason.

[v85 212]

How is that necessarily related to volunteer agencies though? I have seen paid emergency services that are just as toxic or hostile environments as anything in the volunteer services.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

How is that necessarily related to volunteer agencies though? I have seen paid emergency services that are just as toxic or hostile environments as anything in the volunteer services.

If a career/paid service fails, it goes out of business. We've seen this in our area too. The problem is the misconception that when you call your local VAC for help, neighbors drop what they're doing and come assist you out of the goodness of their hearts. Sadly, that motivation and ability for people to leave jobs (or volunteer at all) are becoming a thing of the past. There are plenty of businesses that fail because of poor leadership outside of emergency services too.

The volunteer, donation-supported model for EMS simply doesn't work in 2015. It may have been successful in the 20th century but every day it becomes more and more difficult to sustain. Training requirements, regulatory requirements, insurance and other costs, time commitment, commuting jobs, all work against the model. How many people actually work in the town where they leave any more? The number is vastly different than it was 20, 30 or 50 years ago.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

There are plenty of good EMS systems out there. Boston, King county, la county, some of the counties around DC come to mind. Westchester is not a system. It's a patchwork of solutions to issues. Without leadership, it won't change. Because, quite frankly, the people don't care. They do not care what the ambulance has written on it. They want someone to show up, be nice to them, fix them and get them to a hospital. With a pillow and a blanket. Seriously, that came out in a study/survey in Syracuse.

So unless someone inside or outside the system will step up and begin to build solutions, y'all are stuck with what ya got.

Ever notice that those model systems have a tribute page on their website to the visionary that made it happen? That's not by accident. Step up and lead if you want it fixed. Take charge of the EMS council and push. Read some of the tributes to visionary leaders. They have words like relentless, tireless, pursuing, energetic in them. Again, for a reason.

One of the visionaries that you describe put it very well about 25 years ago, the "problem is short-term leaders and long-term problems". This is as true now as it was when Jon Politis said it then.

We haven't had a true visionary in our region in quite some time. Nobody is stepping up to carry the torch and beat the drum for EMS. Typically when someone does start, he or she is villified and ostracized for putting forth an unpopular opinion and the agencies just keep on doing their own ridiculous thing. Look at the discussions we have had hear that highlight the point that we don't have a system, we have a patchwork of band-aids covering a multi-trauma patient.

One of the most affluent counties in the nation, with abundant resources that would make a lot of other places jealous, and we still can't cobble together a rational plan for the future. What ever happened to Westchester2000? That was 30 years ago and we're 15 years past the inception with few to none of the recommendations actually implemented.

Who will be our relentless, energetic, tireless visionary that we recognize in 2030?

[ex-commish 490]

How is that necessarily related to volunteer agencies though? I have seen paid emergency services that are just as toxic or hostile environments as anything in the volunteer services.

Not being in the paid services I can not comment on that. My statement is based on what I have witnessed personally in a volunteer agency and it isn't pretty