Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps
The Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps, or PSVAC, is a community organization that provides emergency medical response, rescue operations, patient assessment, treatment, and transport, regardless of ability to pay in Brooklyn, New York.[1] Since 1992, members have responded to over ten thousand calls for help.
Mission
PSVAC's mission is as follows:[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, Brooklyn community in 1992,[3] in response to a scarcity of EMS resources and increased call-times.
PSVAC has served the community for over 15 years, and has won a number of recognitions and awards[4] and sponsorships.
Today, the Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps has over 70 active members, including 20 crew chiefs. PSVAC has four ambulances, patrol bicycles and a first-response fly car. The Corps responds to thousands of calls every year, resulting in treating and/or transporting over seven hundred patients. By comparison, there are entire communities around the country whose annual response is less than 500 calls.
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.