Town of Mamaroneck/ Village of Larchmont
Volunteer Ambulance Corps: 30 Years of Service
by Paula Eisenberg
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| Town of Mamaroneck/Village
of Larchmont Volunteer Ambulance Corps members,
left to right: LT Michael Roxbury, EMT Wendy Korotkin,
LT Bobby Lunde, Pres. Joseph Russo, EMT Vinny
Caiola, EMT Noah Goldberg, Paramedic Mike Liverzani |
(September 12, 2002) Larchmont/Mamaroneck VAC is celebrating
its 30th year of serving this community, a milestone
marked by the Larchmont Village Board of Trustees at
Monday night's meeting. Mayor Ken Bialo presented VAC
President Joseph Russo with a commemorative plaque,
thanking him and the organization for their years of
service.
Since their first call on August 10, 1972, VAC has
been serving the community in many ways, including responding
to emergencies, providing CPR and other first-aid training,
and teaching young people about the dangers of driving
while intoxicated. In 1979, VAC became the first all-volunteer
emergency response corps in Westchester County, and
today it offers ALS (Advanced Life Support) services
as part of the joint Larchmont/Mamaroneck Ambulance
District. Larchmont VAC responds to
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EMT
Vinny Caiola treats "patient" David
Commender inside a VAC ambulance |
approximately 1100 calls a year, transporting most
patients requiring further care to Sound Shore Medical
Center in New Rochelle. So far this year, LVAC has responded
to 109 auto accident/pedestrian struck calls, 16 intoxicated
person calls, 31 chest pain calls, 9 choking calls and
13 fire scene stand-by calls, among many other categories
of incidents.
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Paramedic
Scott Glaessgen |
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The Gazette asked paramedic Scott Glaessgen why he
does this kind of work. "I've always been interested
in medicine," he said. "I thought at one time
I wanted to be a doctor, in fact, and my dad was a New
York City firefighter. I guess it's in my blood."
The job is rewarding, he said, although patients can
sometimes seem unappreciative. "We're seeing them
at their worst, of course, but sometimes they say thank
you." That human connection is what keeps him going,
he said, adding, "The best part of the job is when
we can help somebody, and it doesn't have to be a big
dramatic call. It can be just a day-to-day kind of thing."
VAC offers a variety of CPR and first aid courses
throughout the year, and it is always looking for new
volunteers. Check the Gazette's community calendar for
notices of upcoming courses, and visit the VAC
website for membership information.
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