Today's Guest Speaker: Kevin Baker of Finger Lakes Ambulance
Opening and Invocation led by Lucina Hallagan
Wellness Report – Jim Praino - not feeling well, Nancy Briggs, mother of Lucina Hallagan in hospital, Susie Earl doing better - hopes to be in Rotary in December
Guests: Kevin Becker, Finger Lakes Ambulance
Announcements:
- David Doebler, reminding us that we need to sign up for Salvation Army Red Kettle bell ringing over Black Friday and Saturday at Walmart in Newark
Happy Moments:
- Nice note from Charlie Hallagan thanking the club for the birthday card
Club Anniversaries: David Tyler - 7 years; Doug Doebler - 39 years
Welcome to new Primary Corporate Member of the Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity — Garrett Jones. Welcome to the club!
Paul Harris Fellowship Awards - Lynne Mooney - 1st time recognition and Doug Forgue Paul Harris +1 - thank you for your service. The Paul Harris Fellow award is a Rotary International recognition given to individuals who contribute $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation.
Queen of Hearts. Steve Hallagan did not pick the Queen - the pot continues to grow.
Program: Laci Graham introduced Kevin Becker, Public Relations Director of the Finger Lakes Ambulance. Kevin is an EMT and has worked for Finger Lakes Ambulance since 2014. He is an AHA Certified CPR Instructor and an IAED EMD Certified Emergency Medical Dispatcher. He loves being in Sales and Public Relations for the Finger Lakes Ambulance. Kevin is also and EMT with penn Yan Ambulance, Naples Ambulance and Canandaigua Ambulance as well as being the Captain of the EMS Bicycle Response Team based in Penn Yan. In his spare time we owns and operates Finger Lakes Sports Officials.
Kevin shared some of the history of Finger Lakes Ambulance:
- 1955 – started by Ed and Martha Walters as “Walters Ambulance”
- 1986 – purchased by employees and operated as Walters Ambulance Service. It was then purchased by Geneva Ambulance.
- 1988 – Drew Morris (GW Lisk) purchased Walter’s Ambulance renaming it Finger Lakes Ambulance EMS, Inc.
- 1996 – 30 employees and 1,800 calls per year
- 1998 Ken Kelly becomes General Manager making F.L. Ambulance what it is today. It was the General Manager Ken Kelly in 1993 who encouraged Kevin to become an EMT.
- They are the only ambulance company with their own fleet operation - do their own repairs etc.
Current Executive Director and EMS Chief - Al Kalfass
They cover 20 miles in every direction from Clifton Springs - 1,200 sq miles - 5 counties, 5 hospitals, 14 ambulances
Some of the services they provide:
- 911 Emergencies – this is their primary function. They work in collaboration with village and town volunteer ambulance companies
- Mutual Aid Assists
- ALS Intercepts (as needed)
- Bariatric Patient Care Services (the largest person they have had to transport was 850 lbs)
- Special Operations Teams
- SCT and RSI Services
- Mobile Intensive Care Unit
- Disaster Relief Deployment Teams
There was so much more to share – Kevin gave a wonderful presentation and encouraged people to reach out to him if they would like an educational presence of F.L. Ambulance at any function. They love working with and in the communities in their 5 county area. They also would love to set up CPR training at your businesses, clubs, churches – where ever. Kevin stressed the importance of CPR training.
Thank you Kevin and Finger Lakes Ambulance for all you do.