WAVAC - Waterville Area Volunteer Ambulance Corp.
Heart Attack Prevention
What is a heart attack?
A heart attack (myocardial infarction) is the death of heart muscle due to the sudden and complete blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. A coronary artery blockage usually occurs in arteries that contain cholesterol plaques. A plaque can rupture and initiate the formation of a blood clot next to it. A blood clot can completely block blood flow through a coronary artery and deprive the heart muscle of needed nutrients and oxygen. The heart muscle then dies, which produces a heart attack. Read More......
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 Debunking Summer Health Myths As children, most of us heard lots of health advice. Unfortunately, some of it, however well-intentioned, was medically incorrect. See if you've ever heard - or believed - any of these common summer health myths.
"Wait a half hour after eating before you can safely go swimming." This one seemed almost universally accepted when I was a child and is still believed today. The myth involves the possibility of suffering severe muscle cramping and drowning from swimming on a full stomach. While it's true that the digestive process does divert the circulation of the blood toward the gut and to a certain extent, away from the muscles, the fact is that an episode of drowning caused by swimming on a full stomach has never been documented. Neither the American Academy of Pediatrics nor the American Red Cross makes any specific recommendations about waiting any amount of time after eating before taking a swim. There's a theoretical possibility that one could develop a cramp while swimming with a full stomach, but a person swimming in a pool or controlled swimming area could easily exit the water if this happens. As with any exercise after eating, swimming right after a big meal might be uncomfortable, but it won't cause you to drown.
"Sunburn will fade into a tan," or "You need to burn first before you start to tan." Sunburn is a burn and not a prerequisite stage for a tan. Sunburn will result in skin damage, redness, and eventual peeling. Any amount of sun exposure poses an increased risk for the development of skin cancers and premature aging, but sunburn poses an even stronger risk.
"Dark-skinned people don't need sunscreen." People with lighter skins have less melanin, the pigment that absorbs UV radiation and protects skin, than darker-skinned people. While light-skinned people will be very sensitive to the effects of UV rays from the sun, those with darker skins can still be affected by damaging UV radiation. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends routine sunscreen use (with an SPF of at least 15) for dark-skinned people.
Finally, there's the watermelon-seed myth. No, the seeds won't germinate and grow in your stomach if you swallow them. There is a very small risk of damage to the intestine (inflammation, obstruction, or a wound or tear in the bowel) from swallowing any small, sharp object such as a seed. A watermelon or other type of seed could potentially lodge inside the appendix and lead to appendicitis, but this is very unlikely to happen. The benefits of including fruit in your diet far outweigh any risks associated with swallowing seeds
Info from medicinenet.com
To our friends and neighbors of the Waterville area,
The Waterville Area Volunteer Ambulance Corp's main concern is to always give our patients the best care possible 24 hrs a day 7 day's a week. To achieve this, we always need to have a quality team readily available to respond the ambulance with a quick response. Professionalism, quality care, and a safe transport to the appropriate medical facility are traits that we believe every ambulance service should carry.
Recruiting and retention of volunteers is a challenge for most all volunteer ambulance and fire agencies throughout New York State. Although it can be very rewarding, it also takes a lot of time and devotion that most cannot afford. This has lead to a decline in volunteer agencies.
Waterville has maintained good coverage for a high percentage of evening EMS calls, but day time coverage has always been the bigger challenge because most of the volunteers work daytime hours. In 1994, we set up a system with another agency to help with daytime coverage and to ensure an ambulance was always available. The other agency would automatically be notified and respond after the WAVAC's second tones went unanswered. That has worked, however it lead to a slower response time and we feel we can better serve our community.
The board of directors has been closely reviewing options and monitoring what other agencies in the state have been doing to provide better care. It truly is a state wide problem, and not one that we deal with alone. The board of directors wants to insure that the ambulance will get to you when you need it. In the most recent board meeting, the board has come to an agreement as to how to provide better daytime coverage
Starting in March, we will have a paid medical provider from 7am - 5pm Monday thru Friday to respond to call's. This way there will always be an ambulance in route to you immediately! We are now in the process of finalizing the details. This will guarantee that an EMT will always be available; however we are still relying on volunteer drivers. Please understand we are still operating as a volunteer organization! To successfully do this we need volunteers.
We can always use more help. We are in need of more day and night time drivers, medical personnel and community board members. You can acquire an application from a current member or from the recruitment page You can also send an e-Mail to recruitment@wavac.org for further questions.
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Get a Smoke Alarm!
In the event of a fire, a smoke alarm can save your life and those of your loved ones. They are the single most important means of preventing house and apartment fire fatalities by providing an early warning signal—so you and your family can escape. Click here for more information
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