Our History
The amazingly rich history of the Brockport Emergency Relief Squad Ambulance Corps dates back to late September, 1961 when the plans began to create an emergency ambulance service in the Village of Brockport. Previously, ambulance service had been provided by the local hospital and before that by a local mechanic; Luke Homuth. When called, he would drop his tools, fire up the ambulance and head out to serve the community. This was a very rudimentary solution with no medical services provided until you reached the Emergency Room. There was nothing like the pre-hospital services of today.
1/9/62 - The Brockport Emergency Relief Squad Ambulance Corps, better known today as the Brockport Volunteer Ambulance Corps, was chartered by official action of the Village of Brockport Board of Trustees at their regular Tuesday meeting. According to the Brockport Republic-Democrat in their January 11th issue of the paper. The Board authorized bids to be solicited for the purchase of an ambulance and the officers of the Corps were named. Robert Stoddard, a former State Trooper and member of the Horace Silsby Hose Company was named Captain and squad leaders were to be named prior to the next Village Board meeting. Art Mosher, a Red Cross Instructor was to be the training officer and Robert Northrup was the Recording Secretary. The membership would come from the five companies of the Brockport Fire Department; Horace Silsby Hose Co. No. 1, Harrison Hose Co. No. 2, the Protectives Inc. Co. No. 3, FF Capen Hose Co. No. 4, and the CD Dewey Hook and Ladder Company.
2/1/62 - “The Village Board is reported to be high in their praise of the squad” … “they feel that their work will be of the usual excellence that Brockport has come to expect from their firemen.” The squad members report that they believe the Oldsmobile from Bauch Chevrolet will best meet their specifications. They expect to be in service by February 15. Lakeside Hospital is paying for service in the Brockport area for an American Ambulance from Rochester and a 24-hour crew to be stationed in Brockport. The Hospital Board feels it is too expensive and American says they are barely meeting expenses, so both are looking forward to the squad getting equipped and responding to calls.
2/8/62 - Crew Chiefs have been named… They are Clifford Mosher, Duane LaDue, Robert Henry, Cliff Ruggles, and Harold Wren. There will be a delay from the February 15th start-up date due to the lack of an ambulance.
2/15/62 - Town of Clarkson Board approves Village Ambulance Contract.
2/22/62 - On 2/26/62, all members are ordered to the public building for equipment familiarization as plans are to start operations on March 1, 1962.
3/8/62 - On Sunday, March 4, 1962 at 6:00 p.m. the Brockport Emergency Relief Squad Ambulance Corps officially began operations for the Village of Brockport, the Town of Sweden and most of the Town of Clarkson. Operations began using the old Lakeside ambulance, a 1951 model until the 1962 Oldsmobile could be delivered by Bauch Chevrolet. “An undertaking of this nature must have some restrictions for the protection of its services to the people in the area it serves. All calls will be on an emergency basis only. Lakeside Memorial Hospital will handle the dispatching of these calls.” The first call of the Corps came on Monday, March 5th at 4:12 p.m. transferring a patient from Lakeside Hospital to Highland Hospital in Rochester (above excerpts courtesy Brockport Republic-Democrat newspaper). Charter Members of the Corps were Paul F. Barry, Willard Bird, Sr., Claude Carson, Richard DeRuyscher, Frank Donahue, Sr., Marvin Duryea, Charles Eldred, Raymond Eldred, Harold Elmes, Laurence Ferguson, James Gaylord, Verne Gavitt, George Hamil, Robert Henry, Richard Hicks, Ernest Hube, Duane LaDue, George Marks, Sr., Jerome J. Martin, Sr., Roy Maxwell, Arthur Mosher, George Peters, Wirt Quinn, Paul Raleigh, Paul Seifert, Sr., Earl Siegfried, Donald Sinopoli, John Smith, Robert Stoddard, Calvin Tripp, John Wadhams, Ross Walker, D. Scott Warthman, and Harold Wren.
- June 1973: Purchased air conditioning for bunk room
- July 1973: Dr. Carl Sansocie, MD agreed to be Medical Advisor to the Corps
- Fall 1973: Purchased widened Superior Coach van on Chevrolet chassis – no walk-thru
- September 1973: Purchased Pulse Tachometers – both rigs
- September 1974: Purchased first portable radio for Captain to carry
- October 1974: Purchased 1st Medi-Train doll for classroom use
- January 1975: Purchased Hare Traction Splints and orange CPR boards
- April 1975: 1st Annual Banquet – ordered 1975 National Custom Coach wide Dodge van with walk-thru
- October 1975: Accepted delivery of 1975 van
- January 1976: Authorized 75% of purchase price of “Jaws of Life” – FD to pay for remaining 25% – to be located on M-3 Rescue Truck which later transitioned to R-238 Rescue truck
- June 1976: Received engraved Charter Member plaque from Past Chief and Charter Member D. Scott Warthman
- July 1976: Hurst Tool received
- March 1977: Purchased new bunks for bunk room
- July 1977: Purchased Horton standard size Dodge van for $21,835
- August 1979: Purchased Horton Modular Type III ambulance on Ford chassis for $39,500
- September 1983: Purchased Medical Coaches Blue Star Type III ambulance on a Ford chassis
- Early 1993: Added early defibrillation with the availability of Automatic External Defibrillators (AED)
- May 1993: Recorded first resuscitation save using AEDs purchased that year
- 2012: BVAC separated from the ownership of the Village of Brockport to become a self-sustaining not-for-profit EMS corporation
The Brockport Volunteer Ambulance Corps has seen a multitude of changes during its history, from the addition of New York State certified EMTs on every run to the myriad of advancements seen in the Emergency Medical Services field. We currently operate two ambulances, providing Basic Life Support services to the Village of Brockport and the surrounding communities when requested, and we are constantly taking measures to improve the operation to the benefit of the greater Brockport community. We have been here for nearly sixty years, and we are making plans to continue for the next sixty.
