• 7/2/25:
  Ladder 10 Relocates to Yorktown
• 4/27/25:
  Another Successful Recruit NY
• 4/26/25:
  Child Safety Day at Old Navy
• 4/24/25:
  1st Alarm Fire in Crompond
• 3/31/25:
  For Immediate Release

Ambulance Corps History: The Beginning

by Howard Peiffer

The beginning of ambulance service provided by MVFA is explained in the history section of the MVFA web site.
MVFA had 2 ambulances when I joined in the late 50's, a 1949 Caddy, stick shift, light yellow in color and a white over red 1957 Caddy. Due to the many multi patient auto accidents and limited mutual aid ambulances available at the time; the 57 had a 4 stretcher patient capability.
Two rolling stretchers were on the floor, the one on the right side called a Cotter Cot had a wheel equipped frame with 2 attendant's seats whose backs folded down to make a second stretcher. There were 2 portable stretchers, which hung from the ceiling and were used for the least injured patients, children, or light- weight patients. The crew members had to kneel on the floor between the stretchers, to attend the patients.
The portable oxygen unit, an E&J resuscitator weighing about 40 pounds, was kept behind the passenger's seat in the cab. If a crew member had to carry it for a long distance or up flights of stairs, he would need it more than the patient.
The 1949 Caddy went to the Verplanck F. D. to start the ambulance service in their district and relieve us from having to answer calls there.
The old Peekskill Hospital was off South Street. The ambulance entrance and ER were in the basement. If you brought a patient there after midnight, all the doors were locked, and you either had to call ahead or send a member up to the front entrance and ring the bell to get someone to unlock the ambulance entrance door.
We had an ambulance committee of 5 members, appointed by the president, to administer ambulance operations. Duties included purchase of supplies, keeping records, scheduling maintenance, training members, and financial accountability.
An ambulance replacement fund was established with the donations received from patients who we transported. It ranged from 4 to 6 thousand dollars per year at the time. The replacement schedule was 48 to 50 thousand miles or 7 years.
In 1966, a Caddy/Miller Meteor ambulance was purchased under the leadership of committee chairman Clarence DeGolyer. It was painted 1966 Caddy Cape Ivory, which continues to be included in your current ambulances. The reason a color other than white over red was chosen, was so that Mohegan would not be confused with all the other surrounding ambulances and not to be accused of poor driving habits of the others.
The 66 was the first ambulance of its type to have electric road sanders. This installation was done so members would not have to get up in the wee hours of the night to put on tire chains, pre on-spot chains. It also had our first piped oxygen system, the cylinder was behind the front seats.
Early ambulance to hospital communications was the ambulance radioing the dispatcher with patient information, and the dispatcher then calling the hospital by telephone with it. Myself, Ed Creem from PCVAC and several members of the WCEMSC worked on an ambulance to hospital medical radio system for the county. The Motorola Hear System consisted of a rotary dial encoder in the ambulance, which by dialing a 3-diget number would open the receiver in the ER.
In the late 60's, while attending the University of Maryland fire courses, I learned of a new type ambulance being used by the Baltimore City F. D. built by the Swab Wagon Co. in Pa. I stopped there to get a look and comments from the firefighters who used them, who highly praised them. The one ton truck chassis had a modular body with a great deal more patient care area for the crews to work in, more storage space for equipment & supplies, but the ride was a bit stiffer than the Caddy's.
I brought the information back to the ambulance committee. Members traveled to Nutley, N.J. First Aid Squad & the Bloomfield, N.J. police dept., which both used Swab ambulances, to get their opinions of these units. In 1972, the ambulance committee recommended to the membership the purchase of a type 1 modular ambulance from the Swab Wagon Co. using a Chevy chassis purchased locally. This unit was purchased with a down payment and several installments due to the lack money in the replacement fund, and was the first Swab ambulance built with electric road sanders. After our purchase. our neighboring VACs & F.D.s quickly adopted the modular ambulance concept.
In the 1980's, with the increased number of calls and the possibility of member burnout, the ambulance committee looked for an alternative way to increase membership. After many hours of research including trips to the Port Jefferson, L.I. F. D. and East Fishkill F. D. the ambulance committee recommended reorganizing into a Rescue Squad through resolution by the LMFD.

This would allow us to bring in residents of the LMFD who wanted to do EMS duties rather than do full firefighter duties. The ambulance committee again spent many hours ironing out the legalities of forming a Rescue Squad with the attorney of the New York State Association of Fire Districts, who helped our fire commissioners, formulate the needed resolution. After approval of the Rescue Squad, officers were appointed until an election was held.
Throughout it's history, MVFA has been a community and regional leader in EMS service, due to the progressiveness and dedication of its officers and members.

Past Captains of the

Ambulance Committee, Rescue Squad and Ambulance Corps

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Deputy Chiefs of the Ambulance Corps:

Title of Deputy Chief given to past

Captains of the Ambulance Corps

(Started in 2009)

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