Named EMS Agency of the Year
By Michael Turton
Putnam County’s EMS Council named the Garrison Volunteer Ambulance Corps its Emergency Medical Service Agency of the Year at ceremonies held at the Centennial Golf Club in Carmel on June 4.
EMS President Michael Moculski presented the award to GVAC Chief Derek Tudor, praising the all-volunteer organization for its “top-notch medical care.” Also cited were GVAC’s advances in such areas as quality assurance and improvement, training, equipment upgrades and community education.
Four GVAC members, along with two members of the Philipstown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, also received awards for their work at emergency calls.
Megan Medley and Allan Simmons received Lifesaving Awards for their response to a suspected cardiac arrest in Garrison. When they arrived they discovered that the patient had suffered a heroin overdose and immediately administered Narcan, saving the person’s life.
Lifesaving Awards also went to GVAC’s Simmons, Steve Rivera and Jeff Ashdown, along with PVAC’s Nicholas Falcone, Matthew Bidwell and Ashley Capone for their patient care at a serious car crash on Route 9D between Cold Spring and Garrison. EMStar Paramedic Megan Lask also received a Lifesaving Award for her work at the scene. Fire companies from Garrison and Cold Spring were involved, using the Jaws of Life to extricate the two accident victims.
In a separate ceremony, GVAC President Allan Simmons and Vice President David Lilburn presented GVAC’s first President’s Award to Chief Tudor, honoring his many contributions to the ambulance corps.
In Putnam County, basic life support ambulance services are also provided by volunteer fire departments in Brewster, Kent, Lake Carmel, Mahopac, and Mahopac Falls, as well as volunteer ambulance corps in Putnam Valley and Carmel.
The county contracts with EMStar Ambulance Service, which provides paramedics who work out of four ambulances throughout the county and who often respond to calls along with the volunteer ambulance corps.
Good job to Garrison Ambulance on being awarded agency of the year. It’s a pleasure to work as a neighboring agency.
Congratulations on your most deserved recognition. Thank you for volunteering for this difficult community service.