What do we do? WAVAC works hand in hand with fire and police services to provide emergency medical care to sick and injured people and provide quick and safe transport to hospital emergency rooms. EMS call include car accidents, falls, medical emergencies (someone having a heart attack, trouble breathing or just not feeling good). In addition, we also provide public education and as well as standby at events including sports and field days. When there is a fire, WAVAC is there standing by.....

In 1967 Funeral director, James Kloster saw the need for an ambulance service for our area. Four years later that dream became a reality. On December 27th, 1971 the first board of directors including - Lee Burleigh, Thomas Snyder, James Kloster, Stanley Sambora, Donald J Whelley, Harry Northrop, and Wilmour Youngs filed for Incorporation. Incorporation of the Waterville Area Volunteer Ambulance Corporation (W.A.V.A.C.) was granted on January 12, 1972.      On April 26th, 1972 at the Waterville Village Hall a meeting was held. The first officers were elected and included Captain: Tony Ferucci, 1st Lieutenant: Jake Broedel, 2nd Lieutenant; Stanley Sambora, and Secretary; Sally Zweifel. The first members to take an Emergency Medical Technician class were; Mary Barnes, Jake Broedel, Dana Broedel, Don Keith, and Caroline Keith.      MVCC offered a class that year at a cost of $20.00 for the class and $4.95 for the text book. EMT classes in 2007 cost $775.00 and the text and work books are $70.00 and $40.00.      The first ambulance was a red 4 cot Cadillac wagon at a cost of $4500.00. In 1973 that was followed by a 1970 white wagon at a cost of $7,000.00. Then in1976 our first modular ambulance on a Chevy chassis was purchased new for $25,000.00. In 1984 we purchased a Road Rescue box on a Ford E350 chassis. That was replaced in1988 with a type III Ford E350. We saved the ambulance compartment in1992 and had it installed on a new Ford chassis. Then in 20002 we replaced the ambulance with a new Wheeled Coach on a 2002 Ford E-450 chassis at a cost of $80,000.00. We will be looking to replace this one in 2009 the projected cost is $150,000.00.      Housing the ambulance in 1972 was accomplished by members on duty taking the ambulanced to their home. Years later they housed the ambulance either in North Brookfield firehouse or Waterville's. This depended on who was covering. Usually Monday morning the Ambulance was moved to Waterville's firehouse where it remained until Wednesday night. Then it was moved to the North Brookfield firehouse.      Weekends were alternated between the two. As you can imagine this was quite confusing at times. Later years it was mostly station at the new Waterville firehouse on Main Street. Meeting locations also varied between homes, firehouses and village halls. Thankfully this came to an end in 1999!! Mrs. Catherine Harding graciously donated our first permanent home at 7769 route 20, Sangerfield!!!!! After almost a year of renovations and many more community donations, WAVAC is pleased to hold their first open house on May 7th, 2000. The sleeping quarters for the night crews on duty has proven to be effective in a more rapid response to calls. This is especially true in the winter when road conditions are less then favorable.      Housing wasn't the only obstacle crew members faced early on. Communications were very difficult and restricting. At the beginning there was no 911 system in effect. In 1972 when there was an emergency the people would call the ambulance # 841-4400 and the Kloster family would take the information and dispatch the crew on duty via phone calls. Shortly there after many members became dispatchers who had ambulance phone lines connected to there homes. When a call came in they would contact the crews on duty. This was very restricting to the crews and dispatchers. Whenever you signed onto a shift you were pretty much tied to your home close to the phone so you could receive your calls. Freedom was obtained in 1992 when the ambulance core purchased their first monitors.  The call alert monitors are small units which can be carried by the person on duty. It meant members on duty no longer had to be in ear shot of their phone. When a call in the Madison County Fire control system would tone out the pagers and medical personnel would respond. This greatly reduced response time.  With the introduction of 911 by Oneida County Fire Control our response was lessened more.  Today every member has a pager and most have a two way radio with them that they can communicate to fire control and each other.  This has highly increased the quality of care given.  The freedom of members being able to leave their home was a much appreciated added bonus.  We now can attend children's activities and run errands.        Membership has varied throughout the years.  In the early days members signed up for days and times they could cover.  Slowly teams were formed; they consisted of 2-4 members who would cover specific 12 hours shifts.  This usually consisted of one during the week and one weekend a month.  In the early 90s with a decrease in membership, even dropping to a low of 5 active medical personal; the teams broke apart.  The board and the corps worked to devise a plan where Edwards Ambulance would become our backup coverage.  This meant if a crew was unavailable, Edwards was automatically toned out.  This remains in effect till this day so that help will always be provided when needed!  Daytimes always proved to be difficult to cover due to the fact that most members have families or full time day jobs.  There for we also carry a mutual aide arrangement with Oriskany Falls Ambulance/      Waterville Ambulance members not only answer emergency calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; they also volunteer numerous hours to training, community service and maintenance of the corps.        To strive for the highest possible level of care, members attend training sessions once a month.  Training sessions are held indoors and out no matter what the weather; rain, snow or sunshine, thirty below or ninety above.  This is done to get used to working in a variety of conditions with equipment and each other; emergencies don't just happen in good weather!!!      Many more hours are spent in community service.  Members hold many teaching sessions for the Boys and Girl Scouts, Waterville High School students, Memorial Park students, blood pressure screenings at area evens, and have held public CPR classes free of charge.      We are also on duty for the Waterville Fireman's Field days, parades, soccer and football games at the high school, WATSA races, demolition derbies, the Boilermaker, and other road and bike races, Firemen's Conventions, and WAVAC even responded to Rome for Woodstock in '99!!      WAVAC is pleased to assist when and wherever needed.  We are proud of the care we give and proud of the accomplishments made.  We're honored to be recipients of many awards including: Dewitt Clinton Masonic Communities Award for Outstanding Community      Service presented by the Sanger Masonic Lodge in 1993 ALS Agency of the Year in Oneida County, presented by Midstate EMS in 1997      Certificate of appreciation was given to WAVAC in 1999 by Midstate.      Trauma Service Award, presented by Midstate EMS.      Life saving award presented by St Elizabeth trauma center in 2004. Individual awards have been earned by members for their contribution over the years      WAVAC was formed and survived by the dedication of its members and the support of the communities it served.  As we enter our 35th year of service we hope to continue to improve our quality of care and service!! We are just NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS!  Please remember us in our annual Fund Drives so that we may continue this care!!