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Putnam Valley Ambulance Corps First Lieutenant Sheryl Keating Talks About Being a Volunteer and Giving Back
by Edward Paul Greiff
"One of the first calls I ever did as a riding member," said Putnam Valley Ambulance Corps. First Lieutenant Sheryl Keating, "was in December of 2005. In the middle of this crazy snow storm we responded to a car rollover on Dennytown Road just below 301 and we couldn't get up that last hill. We parked the ambulance, took out the stretcher and trudged through the snow. Thank God the Highway Department came, they are usually pretty good about helping us, and they plowed in front of us."
Ms. Keating hasn't looked back since that snowy event, rising quickly through the ranks to her newly-elected position of First Lieutenant.
"I have two children ages 18 and 24. I was lost when my kids went off to college. I didn't know what to do with myself. I knew I wanted to do some type of volunteer work but never in a million years did I think I would join the ambulance corps. One day I just decided to do it and I just love it. The thing I love most, I know it's a cliché but, you get to help people and that really means a lot to me. And the fact that it is kind of like a second family. Its nice to know I have them, they are there for you, it's a very close knit organization."
The general active members elected Sheryl Keating First Lieutenant in the October 2006 election. They are the only ones who can vote for line officers. Riding, being in meetings and drills, the members get to know each other and how you do things. Sheryl had only been a riding member for thirteen months prior to the election so she was relatively inexperienced. She had her EMT card for only 4 or 5 months at election time. She never expected to win.
Ms. Keating attributes her election to her good organizational skills and, as she says, "Being new you probably are more eager to get in and do things. I am definitely energetic and eager to get in there and do whatever I can and do the job of 1st Lieutenant and my EMT job. But I am thrilled that I was elected, especially being so new."
According to the PVVAC bylaws the first lieutenant is in charge of ambulance corps skill training, setting up drills and determining what kind of equipment is going to be needed. Keating keeps track of the member's records, makes sure their driver licenses and all their certifications are up to date. Every three years members need to recertify, which requires 24 hours of core classes and 48 hours of elective classes. If members need help locating a class they need Sheryl does the leg work to find them.
Sheryl says, "When you volunteer you really make a big commitment. It is not only the classes, but attending the meetings, work details, drills, and then the riding part of it. It takes up a big part of your life. Personally I devote about 30 hours a week, 7 days a week. Don Grasser is Captain and does a great job training. We have about 45 active on-call riding members and cover 100% of our calls. Our new facility has a kitchen and a bunk room for those on night calls
if they want to spend the night. Things are running pretty smoothly right now with lots of volunteers and a great building."
(Continued on Page 11)
The PVVAC is still averaging two calls a day, which is quite a lot for a small town. Keating explains that she thinks it is because their district covers a stretch of the Taconic Parkway. Sheryl says, "Most of the accidents seem to take place in this little corridor south of 301. By the time we are toned out, volunteers get to the building, and we get to the Taconic, that's quite a ride you're talking about, twenty minutes response time. We are supposed to obey the traffic laws, we are not supposed to speed [and] we try not to. I'm a driver and sometimes its tough getting around these winding roads."
Sheryl Keating's message is to give back to the community however you can. There are so many clubs in town that can use volunteers, if you are able to give even a little bit of time they can use your help. It's the same people that volunteer for every thing she says. "I am on the Town Day committee, and other committees that can use my help. I think that once you start it kind of snowballs. It becomes a way of life."
The Putnam Valley Volunteer Ambulance Corps will be holding their Annual Awards Brunch on April 15, 2007 at the ambulance building and if Sheryl's name is not on the list for one of those awards, its only because she's been too busy keeping things running smoothly for the rest of the organization.
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