The Ridgewood Volunteer Ambulance Corps (RVAC) announced it will expand its volunteer and community-based EMS service to cover Woodhaven, Richmond Hill and Kew Gardens this year.
The RVAC is a New York state certified volunteer-run organization, offering emergency and non-emergency ambulance services for parts of western Queens and Brooklyn. In Queens, they currently serve Ridgewood, Maspeth, Glendale and Middle Village.
To expand their service deeper into the borough, the corps submitted a formal application to New York City Regional Emergency in December. The application is the results of an agreement reached with the current board of directors of the Woodhaven Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
“The leadership of each ambulance corps took significant steps since this process has started to revitalize and revolutionize how community-based ambulance services will operate in New York City in the future,” said Kevin Mahoney, a current board member of the RVAC.
The RVAC hosted several meetings with many community leaders, elected officials, civic associations and organizations representing Woodhaven, Richmond Hill and Kew Gardens during the process. They received support from Community Board 9, The Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, The Woodhaven Residents Block Association, The Woodhaven Cultural & Historical Society and the Woodhaven Business Improvement District.
They also received support from Council members Eric Ulrich, Robert Holden, Karen Koslowitz and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson; State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr.; Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar; and former Assemblyman Mike Miller.
In 2019, the RVAC merged with the Glendale VAC and Middle Village VAC, in order to create a more enhanced, centralized clinical services and operational efficiency opportunity. They now all operate together as a unified EMS service.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, RVAC’s trained volunteers are determined to not only to treat sick and injured individuals, but to also grow the influence of community-based EMS throughout the city. They were one of many volunteer ambulance corps who stepped in to help FDNY during the height of the pandemic last March.
“These services provide more than emergency care for the sick and injured and provide an outlet for local youth and adults to gain training and experience to become New York State Certified Emergency Medical Technicians,” Mahoney said. “They are introducing the future leaders to the emergency services field.”
For more information on RVCA’s service and volunteer options, visit www.RidgewoodVAC.com.
