Harpur's Ferry
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Harpur's Ferry Student Volunteer Ambulance Service is a student-operated ambulance service at Binghamton University.
Formed in 1973, Harpur's Ferry is staffed and run by approximately 150 students and university staff members who also volunteer their time as Emergency Medical Technicians and paramedics. In 2005, Harpur's Ferry was named New York State EMS Agency of the Year.[1] It was also named agency of the year at the 2005-2006 National Collegiate EMS Conference.[2] Not only is Harpur's Ferry is one of the very few collegiate EMS services that is Advanced Life Support (ALS) certified. Harpur's Ferry typically responds to 400 calls per semester both on and off campus, as well as to calls on campus during the summer session when there are both students on campus and local groups who make use of the campus facilities.
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[edit] Membership
Harpur's Ferry accepts new volunteers at the beginning of every semester. New members then attend a semester-long EMS orientation course known as AFAEC (Advanced First Aid Emergency Care) that teaches them basic first aid skills and prepares them for taking the New York State Basic Emergency Medical Technician course the following semester. Among the approximately 150 members are about 30 certified ambulance drivers and both Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support crew chiefs. Drivers and crew chiefs carry portable radios that allow them to respond to calls when either there is no full, on-duty crew, comprising both a driver and a crew chief, in the squadroom to staff an ambulance, or the on-duty crew is already on another call.
[edit] Vehicles
Harpur's Ferry currently staffs two ALS ambulances, 7621 and 7622, and also has two "fly-cars", 7651 and the brand new 7652. These two vehicles are both ALS and Basic Life Support capable and serve as utility vehicles and are also available for on-duty ambulance drivers and crew chiefs to use to allow them to respond to calls quickly. The spring 2006 semester saw Harpur's Ferry place into service a John Deere Gator all-terrain vehicle enabling quicker and more efficient responses to athletic fields as well as the sprawling Nature Preserve that occupies the southern part of the University's campus. Harpur's Ferry also placed into service a special operations trailer to transport the Gator and to serve as a command post for major emergency incidents that occur on campus as well as at concerts, festivals and other large public events that demand major EMS coverage.
[edit] Current Staff
Executive Director: Darran Handshaw [executive@harpursferry.org]
Deputy Director: Jackie Brass [deputy@harpursferry.org]
Operations Director: Andrew Von Deesten [operations@harpursferry.org]
Communications Coordinator: Dave Adler [communications@harpursferry.org]
Equipment Coordinator: Paul Meddaugh [equipment@harpursferry.org]
Financial Coordinator: Jessica Martinez [financial@harpursferry.org]
Personnel Coordinator: Jillian Cohen [personnel@harpursferry.org]
Public Relations Coordinator: Trudy Turk [prc@harpursferry.org]
Training Coordinator: David Wintman [training@harpursferry.org]
Member At Large: Ben Krakauer [mal@harpursferry.org]
[edit] Past Chiefs
2006-Present: Darran Handshaw
2005-2006: Ben Krakauer
2004: Sara Davanzo
2002-2004: Brandon Leonard
2001-2002: Andy Schacter
2000-2001: Paul Paradiso
1999-2000: Patrick Scanlon
1998-1999: Jonathan Weiner
1996-1998: Bill Bodeker
1995-1996: Josh Gitlitz
1985-1986: Donna Schutta
1984-1985: Mark Flanzenbaum
1982-1983: David Glasser
1981-1982: Stephan Flynn
1980-1981: Matthew Goldstein
1979-1980: Paul Turner
1978-1979: Michael Smart
1977: R. Edelstein
1976: Donald Jones
1975: Rick Markello
[edit] References
- ^ "Harpur's Ferry wins statewide honor", Inside BU, October 20, 2005.
- ^ "Harpur’s Ferry receives national recognition", Inside BU, March 2, 2006.
