TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—The Volunteer Ambulance Corps just celebrated the first anniversary of rocking its 2018 Horton Ford F-550 ambulance.
The rig, ceremonially wet down when it arrived last summer, features an automatic powerlift for the stretcher, electronic right-at-your-fingertips touchpad controls, additional storage, a more comfortable ride, and a Christmas tree’s bounty of other technologies and features.
According to WTVAC Lt. Justin G. Tsai, “Corpsmen really enjoy taking advantage of the new features available to improve the services we provide to our community.”
He said the township welcomed the rig to the fleet at a June 24, 2018 wetdown cheered on by the Township of Washington Fire Department, the Hillsdale Volunteer Ambulance Service, and the Westwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
If you missed it, the celebration included barbecue and cake, with catering by Nicholas Markets Foodtown.
Since then, the corps refurbished another ambulance and was placing into service a first responder SUV.
The corp’s first ambulance, a donation of the town’s Republican Club, was a used 1939 LaSalle purchased from a town in upstate New York.
Looking ahead, the WTVAC is planning to join the fire department in a multimillion-dollar update to the firehouse, which will be sited on a new footprint east of the existing facility, at 656 Washington Ave.
The corps belongs to the Pascack Valley Mutual Aid Group, which includes the Township of Washington, Westwood, Hillsdale, Emerson, Tri-Boro (Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Montvale), River Vale, and Old Tappan.
Its youth membership program encourages high school students to gain experience early and learn about the emergency medical services. Young members are also eligible to apply for scholarships through the NJ First Aid Council.
Equipment loan program succeeding at home and abroad
In other corps news, Tsai tells us that in October 2018 members of the equipment loans team delivered excess refurbished equipment to Peace Works, a charity that then shipped the equipment to the needy in Nicaragua.
He said EMT Naomi Theisz coordinated another regular shipment of excess equipment overseas this May. She was backed by her husband Nicholas Theisz and EMT Robert Grimaldi.
The team collects and refurbishes used medical equipment from the local community and loans them back out to any Pascack Valley residents in need.
Tsai said the inventory includes such key pieces as crutches, canes, quad canes, walkers (with and without a bench) wheelchairs, commodes (and associated parts), shower chairs, medical beds, transport chairs, and knee scooters.
The Township corps is one of the few in Bergen County that continues to fully maintain and operate an equipment loans program, Tsai said.
He added that equipment is on loan at the moment in Closter, Cresskill, Dumont, Emerson, Fair Lawn, Haledon, Harrington Park, Hillsdale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Montvale, New Milford, Norwood, Old Tappan, Paramus, Park Ridge, Ramsey, River Vale, Saddle Brook, Upper Saddle River, Waldwick, Westwood, Woodcliff Lake, and Wyckoff.
“The team is happy to assist out-of-area residents as well, especially in situations when a piece of equipment is not readily available elsewhere,” Tsai said.
He explained that as newer equipment comes in, older items that can no longer fit in the corps’s storage sheds are put to good use by being donated overseas; newer items are reserved for the local community.
Anyone needing loaner medical equipment—or who has items to donate—can call Naomi Theisz at (201) 474-5626.
According to the WTVAC online, V.F.W. Post 6192 recently donated $10,000 to the WTVAC for purchase of a new Stryker stretcher.
The corps also seeks help raising money for the purchase of automated chest compression systems—hands-free devices that can begin administering chest compressions within seconds of arrival. All donations are tax deductible.
Township youngsters saw one of these devices in action June 24 at CPR training given by the Pascack Junior Police Academy, a partnership of the police departments of Washington Township, Westwood, and Emerson.
Nearly 100 members of the Pascack JPA, 10–14, were certified in CPR. LifeSavers and the American Heart Association donated the instructional kits, which students were encouraged to take home and demonstrate.
Anyone 16 and older is eligible to attend EMT training. For more WTVAC news and information, visit wtvac.org or call (201) 664-3784.
