Dear Editor,
In response to the person who wrote in about the accident that happened on North Avenue on July 20, you should know all the facts before you complain about the Fire Department and the Emergency Squad. We are a Volunteer Department and 99 percent of us have jobs other than the department.
Our response may have been a little delayed due to the fact that we were called to the original scene of the accident that started at Brown’s lane, during the busiest time of the day. The driver then drove from Brown’s lane by the Ice Cream Shop, and all the way down to the front of the Tattoo Shop where he came to a stop.
I left my job at 1 p.m. at OFA and it took me almost 15 minutes to reach the station due to all the construction and traffic at that time of day. Within in minutes of reaching the station, I, and another medic, were running to the scene because the ambulance with a driver was stuck trying to get out of the station and was blocked in by a truck.
We come from our jobs, so you may not know that we are squad members, but we were there. The driver of the car was not unconscious from the heat of the car, he had a medical condition which contributed to the accident.
When we arrive on the scene the patient must first be evaluated before he can be moved, especially when it is involves any accident. We cannot just move a patient before he is assessed so that we don’t cause more problems.
We are all volunteers, so instead of complaining about the Fire Department and Emergency Squad, how about joining us, and help make a difference. Even if it’s just as a driver.
We leave our jobs when needed and can easily be delayed due to construction or the fact that 85 percent of the people won’t move over for a blue light. People move over for ambulances and police, but when a blue light is running it is a volunteer trying to get to a call.
Most people don’t think the blue light means anything, but if that blue light is delayed because someone won’t let them pass and they were headed to your house or your loved one, you would want them there as soon as possible, and not delayed because of traffic.
We don’t get paid for what we do – we do it out of the goodness of our hearts. Maybe if more people cared about others, every fire department or emergency squad would be overflowing with members that answer when called. Unfortunately, because it is not a paid job, most people don’t want to get involved in something that takes up a lot of their time. We leave our families (even during dinner), our jobs (that pay us), and we even run from a deep sleep as my husband and I just did, and many others do, just because we care about the people here in the village and the town.
If more people supported the volunteers in this country and cared more about giving than taking or complaining, the world would be a better place. If you or anyone wants to help, come down to the station and fill out an application and help make a difference in someone’s life.
I’m proud of what help I can give, we all are and that is why we do it. Not to receive anything, but maybe a little gratitude here and there from the very few.
I AM PROUD OF ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN I SERVE WITH IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SQUAD, WE GIVE THE PEOPLE EVERYTHING WE HAVE EXPECTING NOTHING IN RETURN. WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE CARE!
Sincerely,
Lori Wagner
Owego, N.Y.
