Congratulations to Dan for achieving Member of the Month for February!
Dan is a newcomer to the Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps, but that has not stopped him from making a positive impact to the Corps, the Community, and his fellow members! Dan joined us in January of 2020. He came to us after retiring in his professional career in Information Technology with an eager willingness to learn and get involved in his community. He quickly became a New York State certified Emergency Medical Technician, and he is currently working on becoming a Corps certified driver. Dan covers multiple weekday shifts for us and is always willing to help other members cover shifts!
When asked about what his favorite aspect of membership is, Dan replied with “CVAC has a high level of “esprit de corp”, and my favorite thing about being a member of CVAC is that I get to participate in a professional, well-trained team comprised of men and women of all ages that are dedicated to helping others!”. Dan loves the fact that our membership is so varied, with some members starting out in life, and others, like Dan, who have been through life and career. Dan said that he loves the diversity that this offers and loves the fact that everyone is accessible for support and questions should they arise. Dan summed it up with the statement that “We are all in this together”.
After Dan’s 37-year career in Information Technology, he was looking to give back to his community with something that would stimulate him intellectually, and something that he would find personally fulfilling. One thing that Dan became passionate about as a member, was the fact that he came into the organization with no medical experience. He stated that “CVAC opened my eyes to a whole new world. Aside from the camaraderie that exists within the organization, everyone is interested in seeing the others succeed”.
Dan has had many special moments as a member of the Corps. One stood out to him. In his words, he was “Working an overnight shift on a cold, rainy, snowy night this past January, when a call came in at 1:40AM. I was working as an EMT, with a driver who had taught me my EMT skills, and a medic that I had not previously worked with. We responded to find a female patient who we suspected was having a cardiac event. Due to the weather conditions, it was a challenge just getting her from the house to the ambulance. We loaded her into the ambulance and were evaluating her further on the way to the hospital, when she coded. We immediately started to administer CPR and attach the AED pads. We administered shocks via the AED pads. We saved that woman’s life!”. This special moment stuck with Dan, and he was humbled that through the skills he learned and continues to develop, he was able to save a life.
Dan, we are proud of the work you have completed thus far at Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and we are proud of the skills you continue to develop to serve your community to a higher degree. Your attitude of excitement, dedication, and development is felt by not only your crews, but the membership as well. You stand as proof that there is always a time to make a difference in your community, and the work you do now has a significant effect on those you care for every time you get on the ambulance. Though medicine was not your career, you took the time to learn, develop, and apply lifesaving skills in service to your community. Congratulations on becoming Member of the Month! – 2-16-33
