This is the transcript of my keynote speech at Spring Hill Ambulance's 50th anniversary celebration on November 11, 2017:
Good evening everyone…. And thank you to Brandon and Committee for putting on such a wonderful event.
As I look around this room, I see generations of Spring Hill members. Founding members who have been here for 50 years. And others who have been here for as few as 50 weeks.
And I pause to wonder – why did you join Spring Hill? Each of you has your reason. So, let me share with you mine…
September 1985. I was a 10th grader at Ramapo High School, and for a part-time job, I was a lifeguard in need of re-certifying my CPR. The YMCA wanted over $200 to re-certify, and I thought that was just way too expensive.
Those of you who know me can figure out what happened next. I shopped around for a better deal.
The Red Cross? Nothing. BOCES? Nothing. RCC? Nothing.
I all but gave up, when on a whim, I called up the local ambulance and found out that I could re-certify for $10 if I were to join their Youth Squad… whatever that was. $10 versus $200. This was a no brainer. I figured I would take the course, get my card, and walk away from this “youth squad” thing.
When I showed up to class at Spring Hill, it seemed to be a normal CPR class… Until the practical skills portion …
Moving patients up and down stairs, on a stretcher, into an ambulance. Basically, running a code up and down Brick Church Road.
I was intrigued. No… I was hooked.
We raced to get cleared as Youth Squadders. To sew that patch on our uniforms. We tracked the hours that we rode; the calls we went on. We looked forward to 7 PM rig checks and coffee at the Red Eagle Diner. Aspiring to one day make it to senior corps, be part of crew, get a key to the building and a green light for our cars.
I might have even driven the ambulance a few times as a youth squadder. I only got caught once. And even though I argued that it was a winter night and I was just warming up the rig, Steve still suspended me.
The point is … I got the bug. To get onto the schedule. To get the hours in. EMT certification. Other certifications. Officer positions. And so forth.
That “better deal” I was looking for? .... It turned into a big part of my life.
I’m one of the few in this room who remember the old building, the hotline, those disgusting couches. So I guess by definition, I’m an “old timer.”
You take for granted that today you get a two-way radio and a unit #. Back in the day, we fought to be on “permanent backup” and get a pager from Roberta.
But at the same time, as good as we thought we had it, the times were changing, and we had to adapt. Simple things like changing from white jumpsuits to a uniform of green pants and white shirts. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to make that change.
We drove the charge to go from pagers to 2-way radios. Figuring out the ambulance billing thing. Implementing a Service Awards program. Raising the bar on patient care. Snow crews. Kosher kitchens. Adopting the mantra, that it was good for the members, it was good for the corps. And if it was good for the corps, it was good for the community. Community outreach programs too.
Heck, we got a fly car and a new building. Tell me that doesn’t warrant bragging rights and help with recruitment and retention. And I know things like this continue today... props to each of you who help keep it going.
You always remember your first. Your first rig check. Your first EMT class. Your first call. First code. First delivery. Your first save.
You can’t go through that many firsts… and everything else which stems from it… and not build long standing friendships and bonds. I’ve known many of you for over 30 years because of this place. And some of my strongest friendships were made here. I suspect the same holds true for most of you.
Now for some of us, Spring Hill has led to careers in the medical and emergency services fields. Many of us have gone on to become Paramedics. Physician Assistants. Nurses. Doctors. Medical Educators. Medical Administrators. Police Officers. Firefighters. Emergency Dispatchers.
And for others, like me, it helped build other aspects of business acumen. Skills I use on a daily basis. Budgeting. Insurance. Operations. Risk Management. Dealing with personnel issues. Or Politics.
So I guess it’s fair to say that when you leave at the end of your shift, Spring Hill never truly leaves you.
I moved to Florida in 2005. Having been a member for about 20 years, I can’t begin to tell you how difficult it was to move away. Not just from NY, but from Spring Hill. You can’t be involved in something like this for so long and easily walk away from it.
But every now and again, I’ll be out and about – be it Home Depot, the movies, biking, the beach, dinner at 4 PM – and someone will see my Spring Hill T-Shirt and make some comment. Invariably, it’s about knowing someone who was or is a member, or knowing the reputation. I beam with pride.
On the flip side… I often come across unsettling news items:
· North Carolina: “After 58 Years, North Mecklenberg Rescue Squad Shuts Its Doors”
· Albany NY: “Rensselaerville Volunteer Ambulance to close”
· New Jersey: “Hillsborough Rescue Squad may be headed to extinction”
· Maryland, Virginia, I could go on…
I find these articles troubling. I hope you do too. These closures, whether because of financials, lack of staff, politics, or other things… communities are impacted; volunteers like you are impacted. I would hate for us to be in the news that way.
But I know that Spring Hill is in good hands. How this place runs. How fast you get the rigs out. How well you deliver patient care. Outreach programs like 500 for the 50th. Every day you epitomize the best in EMS, so that you don’t become *that* headline.
When I think back to Brandon’s request to talk about the impact that Spring Hill has had on me…I guess you can say that it’s been huge. Certainly, while I was an active member. And perhaps even more so in the many years since; as it always seems to find its way to be front-and-center.
My words of wisdom to you….
Do not underestimate the impact you have on patients, on the community, on each other, and on Spring Hill itself.
And do not underestimate the impact that Spring Hill has on you.
So, whether or you’ve been here for 50 days, 50 weeks, or 50 years… Congratulations to each of you.
And here’s to another 50!
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