Vandals graffiti ambulance

Sometime in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 15, vandals allegedly painted graffiti on one of two ambulances owned by Lindenwood Community Volunteer Ambulance Corps. (VAC), a community-based volunteer ambulance service serving the 40,000 residents of the southwest Queens communities of Lindenwood, Ozone Park and South Ozone Park.
“The dollar of spray paint will now result in thousands in repairs and a vehicle being out of service for weeks,” said Chief Christopher DeLuca of the ambulance service. “And we don’t know if this will be covered by our insurance policy.”
The ambulance service is no stranger to acts of vandalism on its property say its members. Lindenwood VAC’s headquarters, once the home of famed beatnik author Jack Kerouac, had a memorial in the author’s honor stolen. More recently, its other ambulance was also hit with graffiti; the vandals used markers in that instance, however, and it was easily cleaned.
Like most of the 32 remaining volunteer ambulance services in New York City, Lindenwood VAC does not have a garage or place to store its vehicles and it is forced to park them unprotected on the street. “This event has us now reexamining where we park and secure our fleet,” said Deputy Chief John Buonincontri. “We will probably have to invest in a video surveillance system costing thousands as we do not have the ability to move nor the funds to rent a garage or space to place the vehicles for the long term.”
NYPD is currently investigating the crime. Lindenwood VAC is currently trying to get surveillance footage from a nearby business, hoping it will yield some evidence to help police catch the individual(s) responsible.
Meantime, Lindenwood VAC is faced with costly repairs and upgrades in security. They will have only one ambulance until the repairs are complete.
Those who wish to help are urged to contact Lindenwood VAC at 718-738-3029 or deputychief@lvac.net. Donations may be sent to P.O. Box 170191, Ozone Park, NY 11417-0191.