Washingtonville. Blooming Grove Volunteer Ambulance awarded $85,000 for equipment
| 29 Nov 2021 | 01:50
Pictured from left to right at the Blooming Grove Volunteer Ambulance Corps building in Washingtonville are: BGVAC riding members George Icobelli and Tahir Ayala, state Sen. James Skoufis, First Lieutenant John Hastings and Chief Brian Bates. Provided photo.
State Sen. James Skoufis (D-Hudson Valley) presented the Blooming Grove Volunteer Ambulance Corps (BGVAC) with an $85,000 grant to support the department’s purchase of two Stryker auto-loading stretchers and mobile monitors, improving the corps’ ability to respond to 1,800 calls annually.
The BGVAC maintains this busy call load by providing mutual aid to Monroe, Montgomery and other surrounding municipalities.
“As an all-volunteer rescue team, BGVAC has gone above and beyond in the past two years to care for its community and to offer ambulance services in other parts of the county,” Skoufis said in the press release detailing the grant. “I am honored to bring taxpayer dollars right back home to bolster BGVAC’s efforts, keeping our local communities healthy and safe.”
“Our team works hard to provide fast and efficient care to local communities,” said Chief Brian Bates, “and this new equipment has been a game changer for us.”
The grant will be administered by the state Dormitory Authority.