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The Pound Ridge Lions Volunteer Ambulance Corps spends most of its time helping others. Now, it could use some help from the community. The all-volunteer squad is in desperate need of more volunteers.
It would take a lot of pressure off the existing members, said Tammy Rainford, the corps president.
The Pound Ridge Lions Club helped form the squad back in 1966 and was the driving force behind getting the corps its own building, built on Westchester Avenue in 1981.
The ambulance corps and the Lions Club shared that building they held their meetings there, Rainford said. There were many Lions who were also corps members.
The squad is comprised completely of volunteers and is separate from the fire department, so its not part of the tax district and receives no state or local funding.
Everything comes from donations, Rainford said.
The town board recently approved the construction of a cell phone tower on the ambulance corps roof and the organization will be able to collect monthly rent from that, which should help its coiffeurs. A while back, it also began billing patientss insurance companies, which they said has also helped.
We also send out two fundraising letters every year, Rainford said.
That has enabled the corps to make some improvements to its building -- including new roof, windows, and generator, and sheetrock that has replaced the cement block walls. The ambulance bay was also expanded.
We also just ordered a new ambulance and we should have that in a few months, Rainford said. It cost $150,000 and that money all came from donations. We are so lucky to live in such a generous town because our operating costs keep going up.
But its not just money the corps needs -- it needs manpower as well.
We are constantly seeking new members, said Rainford, who has been part of the corps for 12 years. We never have enough.
There are currently 23 volunteers on the squad, but Rainford said she would like to see it grow to around 50 members or more.
We are a small group of working people and we dont have a lot of time, she said. We have doctors, lawyers, teaches, principals, artists, stay-at-home moms [on the squad] they all have jobs, so we need more help.
Rainford said that seven months ago the corps made a big push for more volunteers via its fundraising letter and was able to add five more members to the group.
Theyve been amazing, she said. But we still need more.
For those interested in volunteering and finding out how to become an EMT, call (914) 764-4545.
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