Stony Brook University’s very own student-led emergency response unit was selected
from more than 100 collegiate Emergency Medical Support organizations across the nation to receive national honor.
At the Twentieth Annual National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation held in Washington, D.C., Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Camp, SBVAC, was recognized as the 2012-2013 National Collegiate EMS Foundation of the Year.
This New York State Certified Ambulance Corporation was founded in 1970 by a small group of students providing one of the “highest standards of emergency response care in New York State,”
according to SBVAC’s website. This unit consists of about 70-90 members; mostly students who volunteer their time to help other students on campus. They work with three operational ambulances and one ALS (Advanced Life Support) responder, operated by those who are certified by Suffolk County through a rigorous semester-long training class.
“This award is timely and well deserved for our members who have answered numerous calls throughout challenging times this past fall and winter,” said Frankie Rivera in reference to Superstorm Sandy and Winterstorm Nemo, according to a recent press release issued by the university.
This is not the first time SBVAC has been recognized for their work and efforts. In 2011, they received first-place at the NCEMSF Advanced Life Support Skills Competition; the New York State EMS Agency of the Year Award (2003) by the New York State Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Services; and the “Striving for Excellence” Award at the 2001 NCEMSF annual conference.
Rivera said he thinks the award will help SBVAC get more attention on and off the Stony Brook campus.
“It’s great for SBVAC and the campus community, as national recognition helps to get our name out to the EMS world on a larger scale.”
