Ambulance squad has answered calls for 40 years

SALISBURY — Twenty-month-old Tess Churchill and her mother, Kelly, spent the better part of Sunday, July 10, at the Grove in Lakeville, playing on the beach by the lake. By late afternoon they had migrated up the hill to the new Grove building to check out the sounds of Swamp Yankee. The band, with all Northwest Corner musicians, was playing as part of the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service (SVAS) 40th anniversary celebration.The Churchills joined an ample crowd of former and current squad volunteers, their family members and town residents, all of whom were gathered to recognize the contributions of the squad and the support of the town.State Sen. Andrew Roraback (R-30) and state Rep. Roberta Willis (D-64) were on hand to thank SVAS on behalf of the state. “There hasn’t been much good news coming out of Hartford recently,” Roraback said, “so Roberta and I are pleased to present a proclamation to the squad recognizing its contributions over the 40 years.”Tina Chandler, SVAS board president, noted in her remarks that 40 years translates into more than 350,000 hours of service. When she asked how many in the crowd had called on the squad during an emergency, a sizable number of hands went up. Mike Brenner, SVAS rescue chief and a squad member of 33 years, recognized the support of friends and family, “who understand when the volunteer in their lives has to leave in the middle of Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner to answer a 911 call.”Deb Fails, EMT, squad member and chair of the 40th anniversary celebration committee, said that more than 300 volunteers have served with SVAS.First Selectman Curtis Rand, who also celebrated a milestone birthday on Sunday, July 10, spoke about the squad’s importance to the town. His son George Rand is one of the newest members of SVAS having recently received his EMT license from the state.

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