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. PSVAC also provides free professional emergency medical training for members of the community, assists with job and educational placement, and educates the community regarding health and safety. Since 1992, members have responded to over ten thousand calls for help.

Mission
PSVAC's mission is as follows:


 * Provide emergency medical response, rescue operations, patient assessment, treatment, and transport, regardless of ability to pay
 * Provide free professional emergency medical training for members of the community
 * Educate the community regarding health and safety
 * Assist with job and educational placement

History
The Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps was founded by members of the Park Slope, Brooklyn community in 1992, 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 and sponsorships.

Today, the Park Slope Volunteer Ambulance Corps has over 30 active members, including 15 crew chiefs. PSVAC has three 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. In comparison, there are entire communities around the country whose annual response is less than 500 calls. PSVAC’s initial projections at the beginning of 2008 include an increase in call response and patient treatment/transport of 40%.

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 highly 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 ambulance. Other members serve as dispatchers, instructors, manage membership recruitment and perform other support functions.