SVAC Has the Right Stuff to Save Lives in Scarsdale

David Raizen in an N-100 mask and PPEOne community organization was well prepared for the COVID-19 crisis. While other health organizations scrambled to secure masks, gloves and gowns for their workers, Scarsdale Village Ambulance Corps is proud to report that they have ample supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which allows them to serve residents in need without risking the health of their career and volunteer staff.

According to SVAC President David Raizen, they were ahead of the curve and stocked with jump suits, hoods, booties, gloves and full N-100 face masks before the crisis began. The N-100 masks even have filtered cartridges in the front. Raizen reports that he secured most of this equipment during the Ebola crisis and was all set when the coronavirus started to hit New York.

This equipment has allowed SVAC to respond when needed and protect their staff. Raizen says that SVAC responds to every call as a COVID case, and arrives fully prepared. He reports that not one SVAC worker has been contaminated or fallen prey to the virus.

Since the crisis began, call volume for help for those afflicted with the virus has increased – while “sick” calls, for other types of assistance have dropped off.

With hospitals stressed, SVAC has changed their protocols and only transports those who must go --as if possible --- it’s best to remain at home.

Scarsdale Village Ambulance Corps was founded almost 50 years ago to provide ambulance emergency services to the community. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

SVAC is staffed by a combination of paid paramedics and volunteer emergency medical technicians, and other appropriately trained volunteers. SVAC's volunteers are residents of Scarsdale and its neighboring communities, dedicated to serving their neighbors despite their busy schedules as parents, homemakers, business executives, lawyers, teachers, accountants, tradespeople, engineers, health care providers and the like. It is this selfless dedication to helping one's neighbors that makes the difference in the personal care provided by SVAC.

One of SVAC’s missions is to train community volunteers – and to that end, they will run online EMT classes to train those at home. Raizen says they are hoping to train 72 new EMT’s in the coming weeks via this online program. To learn more and sign up, visit their website here: http://www.scarsdalevac.com/courses.php

Students who had planned to do their training at SVAC during senior options, can still pursue the class online.

Here’s the information:

“Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps received approval from New York State to offer an online EMT program. We have modified our Senior Options course so that students will still have an opportunity to obtain their NYS EMT certification.

The course will consist of online live lectures, prerecorded material, and small group online lab instruction, as well as required reading.

The last week of the course will include mandatory face to face lab skills performed in small groups to prepare you for the NYS Practical Skills Exam. These small group sessions will be in compliance with NYS COVID-19 requirements.

Below are the sample class schedules. A finalized schedule will be sent to you once it has been completed. We are currently discussing an alternative to required ambulance rotations.

We are currently discussing an alternative to required ambulance rotations.

Once the course is completed, you will receive a notice from the NYS Department of Health with instructions for scheduling your NYS certification exam at a computerized testing center.

We are offering the on-line course to registered Senior Options students now. Please confirm your enrollment by Thursday, April 16th. On Friday, April 17th this course will open to the public on a first come, first serve basis.

Please send your confirmation or cancelation to training@scarsdalevac.com.

We are also offering an on-line course that begins May 12th and goes through to the end of August. It’s the same course as above, but it’s taught at a slower pace.

If you have any questions. You can reach Ms. Osborn, the instructor, on her cell at (917) 709-8902 or greeneyedprofessor@gmail.com.”

How can you help to maintain this vital resource? SVAC has far exceeded their annual budget with the purchase of the necessary PPE and encourages you to go online now to donate here or to remember them when you receive their appeal for their fundraising drive in September.