N. S. High School Wraps Up Community Service Series

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - The final presentation in the Community Service Awareness Program series at North Salem High School will take place on Tuesday, October 18, when the Croton Falls Fire Department (CFFD) and North Salem Volunteer Ambulance Corps (NSVAC) will be on hand to answer questions and recruit volunteers.

Second Lieutenant Angelo D’Agostino of the CFFD, says, “We are always looking for volunteers. Eighty percent of the nation depends on volunteer firemen.” Volunteers must attend a 100-hour training course, offered free of charge in Valhalla, to learn the techniques of first aid, search and rescue, how to handle a hose, how to approach a fire and put it out, and so on.

“Most kids want to be the ones to run into the burning house, but there are plenty of jobs that don’t involve that and we need people for everything.” Student volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.

The CFFD currently has 60 active members, on call 24/7. They have responded to 575 calls so far this year. 

Like the CFFD, the NSVAC welcomes volunteers willing to do all sorts of jobs. Kurt Gulden, Corps president, says, “We want as many volunteers as we can get. Most of the students we counted on graduated last year. We want it to keep going. The hours are flexible and you don’t have to do EMS unless you want to. There’s plenty of administrative work to be done.”

“If kids do 30 hours of volunteer work it goes on their transcripts,” says Vice-Principal George Bovino. “They learn good values, make a worthwhile contribution to the community and set themselves apart from others in the college application process.”

The fire department and ambulance corps will be manning tables in the cafeteria during lunch hours.

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