Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Awarded $47K For Rescue UTV For Mountanous Terrain and Large Events
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The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Inc. (BVAC) has been awarded $47,000 from Dutchess County’s Municipal Investment Grant (MIG) Program, as was announced today. Said Said Nick Scarchilli, Chief of Operations: "BVAC will use the investment to locate, treat and transport lost and/or injured hikers along the Hudson Highlands and Mount Beacon trails, as well as at large-scale public events, which will help to expedite response times for emergency medical calls.”
Photo Credit: Deborah Cortes, EMT-B, for Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
BVAC will purchase a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) and accessories for mountain rescue operations and large-scale community events. Deborah Cortes, EMT-B and head of Public Relations for BVAC told A Little Beacon Blog: “It is the intention that we will purchase the unit as soon as possible. The UTV is a resourceful unit to assist in the extraction of injured hikers off of Mount Beacon by allowing our crews to safety navigate through the rough terrain of the mountain. Future plans include continuing to respond to mountain calls, standbys, and training personnel for efficient operations.”
BVAC has had to make rescues on Mount Beacon before, like the one pictured here in 2019. Deborah Cortes, EMT-B for BVAC remembers the scene like this: “This rescue started in the dark hours of the evening, ending in the early morning hours. We do go up in the daytime and continue to train but, we need better. ESPECIALLY when we go up the mountains this late at night lasting hours long.”
At that time, BVAC described the situation as this: “At around 20:40 p.m last night The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Mobile Life Ambulance was dispatched to a call on Mt. Beacon for a lost and injured hiker experiencing shortness of breath. The BVAC ATV rode up with 2 BVAC EMT's, Mobile life paramedic and NYS Park Police as far as possible near the fire tower. 1 crew member remained with the polaris while the rest of the crew departed on foot to meet up with lost & injured. The hikers were safely brought down to an awaiting ambulance on the bottom of the mountain where the injured was reassessed. All equipment was back in service shortly before midnight. ** BVAC EMT's & Mobile Life Medic were in touch with the hikers via cell phone the whole time while attempting to make contact closely monitoring the injured hikers condition.”
Antony Tseng, Program Director with BVAC, recalls these situations where the UTV was needed:
We have deployed the UTV for a search of a patient at University Settlement where there was no access road for vehicles.
During one of the ice storms, where we could not climb up a sloped driveway, we were able to use the UTV gain access to the patient.
We used the UTV to support the marathon on the Walkway Over The Hudson (Poughkeepsie) in 2015.
We helped bring up tools to the Mt. Beacon Fire Tower with the UTV when it was being restored before its grand reopening in 2013.
BVAC is its own entity. The City of Beacon only started funding it in recent years, after the City Of Beacon hired a for-profit ambulance service to service the city. During that time, BVAC advocated very vocally to Beacon’s City Council and City Administrator Chris White for funding after years of volunteering to serve the city and making their own investments through fundraisers.
Donate to the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps. at any time by clicking here. According to their website: “BVAC is the only volunteer ambulance service operating in Dutchess County. Seven BVAC employees and 35 volunteers respond to approximately 247 calls per month. BVAC depends on fundraisers and contributions of any size at any time. BVAC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all contributions are tax deductible.”
