TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps is eager to move into the new Emergency Services Building as soon as it’s ready, now on track for the first two weeks of January 2022.
That’s according to WTVAC Capt. Robert S. Rayve, who told Pascack Press on Sept. 28 that the corps — with its 15 active members, two ambulance rigs, and wealth of loanable medical gear — are particularly excited soon to have greater visibility in the community.
“Personally I was always detached from the move-in date, because I know construction is always full of delays — two years ago we were saying, Well, when are we going to move in? So it’s exciting to see the project moving along and getting closer to occupancy,” he said.
The WTVAC, now at 354 Hudson Ave., near the municipal building, will move into the first floor of the $6 million-plus Emergency Services Building taking shape next to the current firehouse, at 656 Washington Ave. (which itself will be razed).
Project architect Robbie Conley, a former mayor and fire chief in Woodbury Heights, announced the approximate date of the building’s occupancy last week. (See “Emergency services building early January.”)
In 2018 he told the town’s governing body that the current firehouse was too cramped, could not handle modern firefighting apparatus, and presented risks to firefighters.
The town put together a committee of the administration, Conley, and the town’s fire and ambulance volunteers, coming up with a wish list.
Plans solidified from there, and Mayor Peter Calamari helped break ground on the works in 2020. The project, under general contractor Tekcon, has weathered a few hiccups, most strikingly the need for a re-roofing.
Rayve acknowledged that some of the corps’ older members had not been as enthusiastic about the move — specifically, leaving behind a venerable headquarters the corps was deeded by the township — when it was first proposed. A vote by members supported the change.
Rayve said, “The general consensus now is that we’re excited to move.”
He added, “As a captain I’m excited because obviously we get a new facility, a fresh start, and we’re going to have increased visibility over there. Where we are now people have no idea that were here.”
And he said, “With the visibility that we’ll gain on Washington Avenue I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to recruit more members and be better able to serve the residents of the town and neighboring towns.”
WTVAC, established in 1957, serves the Pascack Valley region as a volunteer emergency medical service, providing free healthcare for those in need. A member of the Pascack Valley Mutual Aid Group, the corps responds in the Township of Washington and Westwood, Hillsdale, Emerson, Tri-Boro (Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Montvale), River Vale, and Old Tappan.
WTVAC notes on its website that it provides pre-hospital care in medical and trauma emergencies and works closely with police, fire, and advanced life support (ALS) personnel.
In addition to offering youth membership, the corps encourages residents to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), “an essential skill to have in the workplace, home, and anywhere else.” In what sounds typical of the nature of the ambulance corps, Rayve said his volunteers will hit the ground running when the word to move to the new facility is given.
Rayve anticipated the town’s road crew will pitch in to help, not least because they’re taking over the old ambulance headquarters for a bit while the DPW works through a soil remediation at its former headquarters in the same general area.
There’ll be a fair bit of gear to move.
“We’re one of the few ambulance corps that still accepts donations and loans out equipment like wheelchairs and crutches, etcetera, so we have a couple of sheds full of that stuff and we’ve got some donations of furniture that we’ll be able to use as well,” Rayve said.
He said the corps lost a few older members amid the rise of Covid-19 — folks who felt that due to their age or other risk factors were more vulnerable to the virus.
“Now we have about 15 members riding — and we would like to double that. The challenge is that a lot of the people who are applying are high-schoolers, and by the time they get up to speed they’re off to college,” Rayve said.
He added, “And that’s understandable; we’re happy to perform that service, where we give them exposure to the medical community and hopefully give them a head start on their career in medicine. But the ideal person for us is 30–60 who is in town, working — or working from home — and has more time.”
Rayve said volunteerism in the country is proving “more difficult than it’s ever been,” with people who previously were drawn to helping out in the community now subject to many more distractions, including entertainment.
For more information, stop by the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps Inc. at 354 Hudson Ave, call (201) 664-3784, or visit wtvac.org. (The site also carries vintage pictures.)