Village Ambulance gets brand new ride

By Scott Stafford, New England Newspapers
Article Launched: 01/11/2008 11:22:30 AM EST


Click photo to enlargeBert Miller, general manager of Village Ambulance Service, adjusts the two-way radio in the...«1»Friday, January 11
WILLIAMSTOWN — There's a cherry new ride cruising the Northern Berkshire byways, and it's got all the new bells and whistles.
And sirens.

The Village Ambulance Service, based in Williamstown, took delivery of a 2007 McCoy Miller ambulance on a Ford truck chassis powered by a Ford diesel engine about three weeks ago. It cost $110,000.

In announcing the arrival of the new ambulance, VAS also kicked off its membership drive to raise money for the service's capital needs, which includes vehicle replacement and new equipment purchases.

VAS works with a five-year replacement plan for its ambulances, according to Albert Miller, VAS general manager.

Miller's late father, Everett "Bus" Hopkins Miller, ran the preceding Williamstown ambulance company, Hopkins Ambulance, until Village opened in 1982.

The annual membership drive recruits folks to contribute money to the service, and in turn become members of the nonprofit corporation and the right to attend the annual membership meeting.

With 25 employees and four emergency response crews, Village Ambulance Service is up to roughly 2,300 calls annually, and has been absorbing a 5 to 10


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
percent annual increase in the number of calls. The service covers calls 24 hours a day in Williamstown, New Ashford, Hancock, and in Pownal, Vt., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. It is also the primary provider of emergency medical transport at Jiminy Peak.
"During a winter like this one, they'll probably make about 100 calls out here," said Jack Filiault, chief operating officer at Jiminy Peak and member of the Village Ambulance Service's board of directors. "It averages out to about one a day, but on a busy Saturday, they could be out here for two or three calls."

He noted that Jiminy Peak is a significant financial backer of the ambulance service.

"They are Jiminy Peak's favorite nonprofit organization," Filiault said. VAS has been the primary provider at Jiminy Peak since the service was founded in 1982.

"This a highly professional group," said Williamstown Police Chief Kyle Johnson. "They are certainly an asset to Northern Berkshire County."

He noted that the police and ambulance service work together several times each month, mostly on car accidents involving injuries.

"When we do work together, it's a good fit," Johnson said. "Everybody knows everybody else — it just works well."

Miller said with the new vehicle, they now run three ambulances — a 2003, a 2006 and the 2007 model. The plan is to trade in the 2003 model later this year.

"We do the membership drive every year, and it raises enough to pay about 20 percent of our fixed costs," Miller said.

The annual operatng budget is roughly $700,000, Miller noted. He added that last year's membership drive raised $65,000.