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Department Spotlight

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by Theresa Dardanell

Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company

One of the questions I asked the administrative members of the Emmitsburg Ambulance Company was, “Why do you volunteer?”

Some of the responses were, “It lets me help other people,” “It gives me a great feeling,” and “Volunteering is in our blood.”

There are currently sixty-two members that serve in an operational, social, or administrative capacity. Operational members run the ambulance calls, while the social and administrative members take care of the fundraising and the business aspects of the organization.

Because there is always a need for more Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), Emergency Medical Responders (EMR), and ambulance drivers, the company plans a mentoring program for new recruits. Free training is provided right here in Frederick County for anyone who is at least sixteen years old. The process begins with the application that is available on the Company website at emmitsburgems.net, or you can stop by the station and complete an application.  After the application is accepted, training begins with the Frederick County “Gear Up” class, in which trainees learn CPR and how to put on the gear and also visit the 911 center. The final steps to become certified are a hazmat class, along with other EMT or EMR classes.

Currently, Bingo is the only fundraiser that supports the Company, evidence of extraordinary community support.  Large crowds join in the fun on Wednesday afternoons and Friday evenings. Because payouts are based on the number of people who attend, the jackpot can be as large as $750 on Wednesdays and up to $5,000 for the progressive jackpot, along with a guaranteed jackpot of $1,000 on Fridays. Company President Mary Lou Little said that money from additional 50/50 drawings is donated to local non-profit  organizations “…as a way to give back to the community for all of the support they give us.”

The Emmitsburg Ambulance Company has been in operation since 1946. They were a part of the Fire Department until 1986, when they became a separate company and moved to South Seton Avenue.

In 2007, they moved to 17701 Creamery Road, their current location. They are equipped with two ambulances and a utility vehicle. Their mission statement is: “The Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company is dedicated to providing the Emmitsburg community and surrounding areas with professional pre-hospital and medical services.  The Company is committed to providing quality care in a timely manner with a highly trained and certified staff.”

Their record of safety is impressive: Serving the Emmitsburg and surrounding community since 1946 with a 97.7 percent success rate, a two minute average career response time (four minute volunteer response), 100 percent EMT BLS certified operational members with an estimated 1,100 calls per year.

Operation Officers are: Acting Chief Lisa Eichelberger and Sergeants, Beth Ruppel, John Ruppel, and Brandon Murdorf.

Administrative Officers are: President Mary Lou Little; Vice President Eric Stackhouse; Secretary Vicki Long; Assistant Secretary Linda Miller; Treasurer Pam Bolin; Assistant Treasurer Beth Ruppel; and Directors, Bob Dinterman, Pam Ellison, Ed Little, and Donna Miller.

The website provides additional contact information for membership inquiries, social hall reservations, and Bingo.

Members of the Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company.

Side-by-Side Burn Live Demonstration and Dedication Ceremony

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Theresa Dardanell

A large crowd gathered in Emmitsburg on April 8, 2017, to watch as two identical rooms, set up in a special apparatus in the parking lot of the Frederick County Fire & Rescue Museum/National Fire Heritage Center (NFHC), were set on fire. The room with the fire sprinkler protection sustained some damage, but the room without this protection was completely destroyed. First responders from the Vigilant Hose Company and the Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company participated in support of the demonstration, which was coordinated with the governments of the Town of Emmitsburg and Frederick County.

This event followed the dedication ceremony for the newly installed automatic fire sprinkler system in the Museum/NFHC.  The sprinkler system was paid for by donations from the National Fire Sprinkler Association and the Capital Region Fire Sprinkler Association, and was installed by Livingston Fire Protection of Hyattsville, Maryland, and Reliance Fire Protection of Baltimore. It will not only protect the irreplaceable contents of the Fire Museum and Heritage Center, it will be also used for sprinkler system training for members of fire departments.

In attendance were members of Frederick County fire departments, Frederick County officials, and representatives from the sprinkler system industry. Chief Ronny Coleman, NFHC president, began the program with the Pledge of Allegiance and introduction of guests; Museum President Chief James Deater welcomed everyone involved. Speakers included Emmitsburg Mayor Donald Briggs, Frederick County Council Member Kirby Delauter, and Maryland State Fire Marshall Brian Geraci.

The Frederick County Fire and Rescue Museum contains many interesting items, including pictures, artifacts, and histories from all twenty-six fire companies in Frederick County, as well as an 1821 “Old Lady” Hand Tub Pumper.

The National Fire Heritage Center, located in the same building, is dedicated to preserving America’s Fire History. Among the many documents is the September 11 incident report from Shanksville, Pennsylvania. All of these valuable documents and artifacts are now protected from fire by the newly installed sprinkler system.

Crowds gather to watch the side-by-side burn live demonstration in Emmitsburg (above), witnessing first-hand how a room without the fire sprinkler protection is completely consumed (below).

Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company Holds Annual Banquet

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Allison Rostad

As another year has come and gone, Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company acknowledged their past year’s accomplishments at their annual banquet and awards ceremony, held January 28, 2017, at 7:30 p.m., in their social hall. Members, family, and special guests enjoyed a catered meal provided by Bollinger’s Restaurant, with background music DJ’d by John Zeigler prior to the evening’s speakers and presentations.

Emcee of the night, Eric Stackhouse, introduced special guests of the evening. Guests included members of surrounding companies; Mayor Don Briggs, who gave his appreciation to members when announced; and Eric Smothers, president of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association; among many others. Smothers began the evening identifying the importance of volunteers, “We’re the frontlines of our homeland security…you never know what’s coming to your front door, whether it’s a mass shooting, a major fire, or a horrific accident. Our volunteers are the first showing up to answer that call.” Nearly 93 percent of the nation’s Fire, Rescue, and EMT departments are volunteer, and 2,000 volunteers are in Frederick County, alone. Wishing the company well and much success in the upcoming year, Smothers turned the audience back over to Stackhouse who proceeded to introduce 2017 re-elected president, Mary Lou Little.

“We had another very successful year of fundraising,” Little addressed the audience as she took stage. Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company had been fundraising strictly through bingo for the past several years. The successes from their weekly bingos and their sporadic special bingos have not only helped to raise well over $300,000, but they’ve been able to reinvest money back into the Community. In 2016, they were honored to donate to the Eric Latini Memorial Ride Scholarship Fund, Emmitsburg Community Heritage Days for their fireworks, Emmitsburg Community Food Bank, The Lions Club Christmas food baskets, The Seton Center Outreach Program, and The Angels Above Scholarship Fund for Mother Seton School.

Selling over 1.3 million game tickets during bingo, Little said has helped pay the bills tremendously. “We continue to chip away at our mortgage. We started this building payment at $2.3 million dollars. We’re now in the $1.5 million dollar range,” Little enthusiastically congratulated supporting members. The ambulance company will continue fundraising through bingo again this year in the hopes to keep continual success.

Stackhouse and newly-elected 2017 Chief Amber Zimmerman took the stage together to give an overview of the past year’s stats and accomplishments, as well as the goals for the year ahead. Stackhouse noted that of the twenty-eight company members, there had been a combined 11,000-plus volunteer hours given, not including meeting hours for 2016. With a significant rise in calls run in 2016, of 1,056 total calls, volunteer hours were necessary, and the ambulance company’s members showed up not only willingly, but happily.

To meet the predicted increase of call volume for the current year, Zimmerman announced the planning phase for a “good neighbor” policy between the company and the National Training Academy. “The academy has graciously extended the offer to have qualified and licensed providers from the state of Maryland to assist us in answering the calls during their stay in our beautiful town,” Zimmerman shared with the audience.

The company also looks forward to implementing an official mentor program to help newcomers adjust, learn, and grow within the company. They’re also looking forward to replacing Ambulance 269 for a new, up-to-date, state-of-the-art ambulance, to better respond to calls and transport patients.

The evening brought several award presentations. Linda Miller was presented the Donald B. Bower Humanitarian Award. Pam Ellison received the President’s Award. The Jamie Eyler Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Chad Zimmerman. Seth Delarchic was awarded the Top Responder for Frederick County. Rookie of the Year was Ashley Grimes. Nicki Burriss received the Driver of the Year Award and Lisa Eichelberger was presented the EMS Provider of the Year Award. The Chiefs Award was shared between Amber and Chad Zimmerman.

Top Responders for the 2016 year were Amber Zimmerman, Chad Zimmerman, C.N. Burriss, Brandon Murdorff, Lisa Eichelberger, Rose Mercandetti, Rose Latini, Eric Stackhouse, John Ruppel, Brandon Burriss, and Ashley Grimes.

2017 Administrative Officers: (from left) Linda Miller, Vicki Long, Pam Bolin, Eric Stackhouse, and Mary Lou Little. Not pictured: Beth Ruppel.

2017 Operational Officers: (from left) Brandon Murdorf, Lisa Eichelberger, Ed Little, Chad Zimmerman, Eric Stackhouse, and Amber Zimmerman. Not pictured: Beth and John Ruppel.

Bingo Bash

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Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company is hosting a Bingo Bash on September 17, 2016. Twenty-two games pay out $250 each, with three big jackpots, plus a meal!

Emmitsburg Area Home Fire Safety Visits

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In light of two recent area fires of significance, a Home Fire Safety Visitation effort, including Smoke Alarm awareness information, began Saturday, December 12, 2015, reaching Emmitsburg area residents. Red Cross volunteers and local fire/rescue first responders were joined by other safety advocates in going door-to-door, promoting the importance of having working smoke alarms in place and helping to answer questions and/or providing assistance with existing smoke alarms.

The joint effort was undertaken by a number of fire safety advocates from across the region, working together to help assure fire safety in homes, apartments, and similar residential occupancies.

The two recent fire events occurred on: Wednesday, December 2, 2015, in a commercial/residential building (apartments) on South Seton Avenue (residents displaced; business disruption); and Monday, December 7, 2015, on West Main Street (double-fatality, plus one serious injury; residents displaced).

During the Home Fire Safety Visitation effort, personnel were out and about in the community, offering insights on simple and easy-to-accomplish home fire safety measures, including installing free smoke alarms where requested. Safety personnel—men and women—wore easily-identified apparel, showing their affiliations.

Emergency services vehicles were seen in various neighborhoods during visitation periods. Anyone interested can also call the Vigilant Hose Company (VHC) fire station at 301-447-2728 to request a visit or follow-up visit at a suitable time. A door-hanger information card was left at each home if no one was home, as well as where residents may prefer safety teams to return at a more convenient time to discuss safe practices and/or install an alarm.

The new alarms have non-removable 10-year lithium batteries, plus also include a “Hush” feature for accidental activations, such as from vapors during cooking periods, from fire places when a damper is not initially opened, and so forth. Teams will offer to replace any existing alarm more than ten years old, including any that use 9-volt batteries, which must be replaced at least yearly.

Jointly with the Vigilant Hose Company, this important initiative was taken in cooperation and coordination with efforts already underway by the American Red Cross of Western Maryland, the Town of Emmitsburg, the Emmitsburg Council of Churches, the Fire Prevention Committee of the Frederick County Volunteer Fire/Rescue Association, the Frederick County Department of Fire & Rescue Services and the Frederick County’s Fire Marshal’s Office, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Fire Administration/National Emergency Training Center, Emmitsburg Volunteer Ambulance Company, Mount Saint Mary’s University, area Media Outlets, the Seton Center, the Emmitsburg Business & Professional Association, and area Service Clubs.

Further information is available on various websites like those of the Vigilant Hose Company, Town Government, and so on. Additionally, for residents living inside town limits, information will also be posted on the Town’s Cable Channel.

Note: This effort did not include installation of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detectors, but the VHC will gladly help with that effort upon request in the coming weeks.