Through the hustle and bustle of busy Beacon traffic, the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BVAC) is easy to spot among the cyclists and array of vehicles. Celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, Mayor Randy Casale praised the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps during City Council meeting in May for their dedication and efficiency, with service at no cost to the City of Beacon. For #GivingTuesday, we wanted to extend his message by highlighting the service they provide to us, which is one that other cities pay for.

The Start Of The Beacon Ambulance Corps

BVAC was incorporated in 1959 by Walter Detwiller, a Beacon police officer and member of the Beacon Engine Company. Comprising both volunteer and career emergency services personnel, BVAC has drastically improved survival and recovery rates through their work to combat sudden injuries and illnesses. BVAC earned New York State Certification in 1990, and became Defibrillation-Certified in 1991. In October 1996, they began providing complete advanced life support by way of contract providers.

Busy Busy BVAC & Their Useful Vehicles

Despite the humble connotation to the “volunteer” title, the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps is one of the busiest volunteer services in the county. Approximately 2,500 calls are run per year, an average of six to seven calls per day.

They currently run a fleet of three modern, fully equipped, New York State-certified ambulances, a first-response vehicle, and a mass-casualty incident trailer. A utility terrain vehicle is also maintained for rescues within the mountainous terrain of Mount Beacon, and has been used this year to rescue lost and injured hikers from Mount Beacon. Most recently:

• September 8, 2019: “Lost and Injured Hikers Rescued From Mount Beacon” (94.3 The Wolf)

• November 17, 2019: “Injured Hiker Rescued On Mount Beacon” (101.5 WPDH)

• March 16, 2019: “9 Hikers Rescued From Snow-Covered Mountain In Hudson Valley” (Hudson Valley Post)

According to the Mayor, as he spoke during the City Council meeting, volunteer and paid providers are threatened by the lack of volunteer and workers in the emergency and medical field, due to the closure of local hospitals. There is a struggle to supply an ambulance across the country; workers in the emergency field are typically paid minimum wage, not enough to compensate for the efforts of the job.

As explained by Mayor Casale, the first 911 call is not what adds strain to emergency responders, it is the third and fourth call that puts pressure on both paid and volunteer services. It takes about two hours for an ambulance to be available after a call. Before the closure of local hospitals it only took an ambulance a half-hour to get back on the road for another call. BVAC alleviates this pressure while providing financial relief for the city.

What BVAC Means Financially To The City Of Beacon

Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps is completely free of charge to the City of Beacon. For the 60 years this service has been available, not once has BVAC used a single tax dollar, according to Mayor Casale. Other communities pay upwards of $300,000 for a single ambulance. The City certainly feels the efforts of BVAC. Outside of City Hall, Beacon residents are aware and appreciative of their service.

Personal Experience With The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps

A Little Beacon Blog’s publisher Katie was helped by the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps upon first moving to Beacon. “I was having what we later learned was unofficial chronic appendicitis. It hadn’t ruptured yet, but during our first backyard party, I had an episode where I was in pain and put myself to bed. My husband called 911 and the Ambulance Corps. came and could not have been nicer. Talk about embarrassing when they carried me down the stairs out of the house in front of our new neighbors! But I felt so safe.”

Volunteer & Donation Information

If you are interested in joining the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps, you can click here to find out how to apply. Membership application forms are attached on that page.

Donations can be mailed to:
1 Arquilla Drive
PO Box 54
Beacon, NY 12508

Call (845) 831-4540 with questions.

See their Facebook page for updates on emergency calls, and fundraising opportunities.

BVAC’s #GivingTuesday Fundraiser is going on now! But you can donate at any time if you see this article later.