Before John Gavaris turned eighteen he was already interested in being a volunteer with the Ellenville First Aid and Rescue Squad.

“What actually pushed me over the edge to be honest was 9-11. I actually put my application in shortly after that happened. There were others who joined the squad at the same time as me and had similar reasons. That event hit some people really deeply. I have some tattoos for that; the only tattoos that I do have. One is the towers with an eagle that says '9-11 Never Forget'. And after seeing something Eddie Ryan had on his wall I have one that says 'Land of the Free Because of the Brave'. We have about three members that joined at that time and if they didn't do it consciously they did it sub-consciously, they joined for that reason,” says Gavaris, who is the captain of the Ellenville First Aid and Rescue Squad.

Gavaris made a plea for more emergency medical services (EMS) volunteers at a recent Ellenville-Wawarsing Chamber of Commerce meeting.

“We currently have close to thirty volunteers, twenty emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and three drivers. Those that are fully active are on call from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. They are on call at least one night a week. That is the minimum that they do. Some people do more. I run three nights a week because of the shortage. I feel as a captain, I have to take on that role. A few run more than one night a week,” explains Gavaris.

When asked how many volunteers are needed, Gavaris explained that it was not just a matter of numbers, but the character of each of the volunteers.

“We all have very similar character traits - the need for instant gratification, the rush from doing this type of work. If you don't have it, if you don't feel it, then yes, you will do the work but you won't stay in it for life. You are never going to be as good as others would be. We have actually been getting a lot of applications and out of every five members that we get maybe one of them will work out to be a true member with their heart, mind and soul in it.”

Gavaris said help is needed in every aspect of the squad's operations, and that it is the busiest unpaid service in Ulster County, running about 1,400 calls per year.

“Surprisingly, we do more than New Paltz,” said Gavaris.

Gavaris estimated that a paid emergency squad would cost, “anywhere from $750,000 - 900,000. With ambulances you have to put in an annual cost for that and I am only figuring in two crews on call. With the volume we have we sometimes run three ambulances.”

Currently, the squad receives revenues from fundraising events and monies from health insurance claims for the people they service.

Gavaris also points out another aspect of the volunteer EMS squad: “Any other service will do 'hard billing'. If you don't pay they are going to go after you and send you to collections. If a person doesn't have insurance, we don't hard bill them. We don't take them to collections,” says Gavaris.

Anyone interested in becoming an EMS volunteer can call 845-647-8181, stop in the EMS office at 1 Webster Street, Ellenville, or the Town Hall clerk's office and pick up an application.

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