Volunteer emergency medical service
The Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps, or PSVAC, is a community organization that provides emergency medical response, rescue operations, patient assessment, treatment, and transport in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York.[1] Since 1992, members have responded to over ten thousand calls for help.[citation needed]
Mission
PSVAC's mission is to:[2]
- Provide emergency medical response, rescue operations, patient assessment, treatment, and transport, regardless of ability to pay
- Provide placement, educational and event services to members of the community
History
The Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps was founded by members of the Park Slope community in 1992,[3] in response to a scarcity of EMS resources and increased call-times.
PSVAC has won recognition including numerous awards[4]
Today, the Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps has over 90 active members, including 20 crew chiefs. PSVAC has three type-III ambulances, one type-II, patrol bicycles, and a first-response fly car. PSVAC responds to thousands of calls every year, resulting in treating and/or transporting over seven hundred patients.
PSVAC is a participating member of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY)'s NYC 911 system.
Membership
The corps is composed of unpaid volunteers who donate their time and a wide range of skills and experience. Members who work on PSVAC's ambulances are all trained medical personnel, capable of handling a wide range of emergency situations.
Members come from all walks of life. Some are medical professionals, such as emergency medical technicians (EMT-Bs), paramedics, doctors, etc. Others work in finance, law enforcement, construction, education, business, or are self-employed.
Most members are New York State certified EMT-Bs and work on the ambulances. Other members serve as dispatchers, instructors, manage membership recruitment and perform other support functions.
References
External links
