The
Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corps is asking the
public for help for a new paramedic.
It says a second paramedic is needed to help
with increased demand.
Deputy Chief Max Goldberg says the department has
been responding to an increased number of calls since the beginning of the
pandemic.
It serves
Eastchester, Tuckahoe and Bronxville.
“As the population increases, we want to be able to keep up with the demand,” says
Goldberg.
Due to the uptick in calls, a second paramedic is
needed. Unfortunately, the department doesn’t have the funds to move forward.
Most of
its yearly budget money went to
pay for Personal Protective Equipment. “Because of the increased cost of PPE, it's depleted our funds to pay
for our second paramedic,” says
Goldberg.
Since the department is not a part of the tax
district, it only relies on public donations and a
third-party billing system for ambulance transports.
As of Tuesday,
it has been able to raise $18,000, thanks to the community’s help on
social media. News 12 is told a total of $100,000 is needed to pay for the second paramedic for the year.
According to a member of the volunteer ambulance corps, they put their lives on the
line to assist the community when needed, and now they’re hoping the community
will return the favor.
“We love helping you and keeping you safe we're
just asking for a little help in return,” says the member.
If the department is unable to acquire the funds,
that will leave them with only one
paramedic to serve 46,000 people.
The
deputy chief wants to remind the public that it makes all the difference,
especially when seconds and minutes matter.
“To have more staff in the building ready to go out and save lives is crucial,”
says Goldberg.