LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps
upon the occasion of its 50th Anniversary

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the
quality and character of life in the communities across New York State
are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those organiza-
tions and individuals who would devote themselves to the welfare of the
community and its citizenry; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor the
Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps upon the occasion of its 50th Anniver-
sary; and
WHEREAS, The impetus behind the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps was
Walter Detwiller, a Beacon police officer and a Beacon Engine Company
member whose son's life was saved by a volunteer ambulance corps while
he was living in New Jersey; and
WHEREAS, Walter Detwiller thought that it would greatly benefit the
City of Beacon to have its own ambulance service and went to work on the
project; he enlisted the help of Joe Catalano and George Cable and the
members of the Beacon Engine Company and 29 people were recruited to
start the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps; and
WHEREAS, Initially housed at the Beacon Engine Company, the Beacon
Volunteer Ambulance Corps soon outgrew the facilities and purchased an
old two bay garage for its new home; and
WHEREAS, As the years passed, the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps
again felt growing pains and construction on its current building
commenced in 1975 and lasted for five long years; and
WHEREAS, The work on the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps Headquarters
was done primarily by volunteers, while the heavy construction was
through the Naval Reserve Seabee Unit located in the area; the building
was dedicated in May 1980; and
WHEREAS, At the onset, there was no county dispatch system so members
of the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps had phones installed in their
homes to receive emergency calls; when a call came in, they would get on
the phone and call members to man the ambulance; and
WHEREAS, In 1980, the Beacon Police Department began to answer the
phone lines and they would dispatch the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps
by way of pagers; this practice continued until 1984, when the corps
joined the Dutchess County Bureau of Fire dispatch system, which is
still being used today; and
WHEREAS, One of the busiest volunteer services in Dutchess County, the
Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps' 40 active members respond to approxi-
mately 2400 calls per year in the City of Beacon and parts of the Town
of Fishkill; and
WHEREAS, Since its incorporation on April 16, 1959, the Beacon Volun-
teer Ambulance Corps has changed and upgraded its service many times; it
became New York State Certified in 1990 and Defibrillation Certified in
1991, and has provided complete Advanced Life Support by way of contract
providers since 1996; and
WHEREAS, The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps currently runs a fleet
of three modern, fully equipped, New York State Certified ambulances, as
well as a Basic Life Support First Response vehicle and a Mass Casualty
Incident Trailer, which was recently added; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body cannot express sufficient gratitude to
those devoted individuals who recognize that the preservation of life is
a sacred responsibility and who make that responsibility their own by
serving as EMS volunteers; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organiza-
tions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps upon the occasion of its 50th
Anniversary, fully confident that this outstanding organization will
continue to enjoy the sparkling success which has so characterized its
past; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps.