Ambulance corps honors its life savers & others

At COVAC’s Feb. 11 dinner at Mountainville Manor, Michael Masopust III (left) received an award for being the Probationary Member of the Year. Asst. Chief Joseph Reardon (right) made the presentation.

An average employee works 2,000 hours a year. The ambulance corps had a pair of members who spent more time than that volunteering. They were among the people that COVAC recognized during its annual Installation and Awards Dinner. The event was held at Mountainville Manor on Feb. 11.

Some agencies identify top responders by the number of calls they answer. COVAC (Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps) bases its top responder awards on the number of hours people serve.

Ironically, Sean Boyle and Staci Maggs were off duty  on Aug. 22 when they responded to an emergency on Main Street. They found a 30-year-old man in cardiac arrest due to an accidental overdose.

The volunteers immediately started CPR and received help from two police officers, paramedics, an EMT, and two other members of COVAC.

It took 12 minutes to restore the victim’s spontaneous circulation. He was transported to the hospital’s Emergency Department in Newburgh and admitted in critical condition.

Mr. Boyle and Miss Maggs received COVAC’s Life Saving Award at the Feb. 11 dinner along with the New Windsor Paramedics and the Town of Cornwall Police.

Supervisor Richard Randazzo accepted the award for the police and later installed the officers for the ambulance corps — offering encouragement for COVAC, which is due to become an independent agency this year.

Administrative officers: Kristin Sebesta (CEO), Michael Bigg III (vice president), Paula Sebesta (CFO). Jack Boyle (secretary). Micah Salisbury (chaplain), Roxanne Galvin (corresponding secretary), Board of Directors at Large — Bob Galvin, John Scharfenberg, Meghan Rozowski.

Operational officers:  Sean Boyle (chief of operations), Joseph Reardon (assistant chief), Staci Maggs (1st lieutenant).

Top responders: Anastacia Maggs, Robert Galvin, Joseph Reardon, John Scharfenberg, Sean Boyle, Gregory Scharfenberg, Meghan Rozowski, Gary Melrose, Julius Williams.

Award winners: Anastacia Maggs (President’s Award), Mountainville Manor (Board of Directors’ Award), Alyssa Tacinelli (Chief’s Award), Alexandra Ceruso (Officers’ Award), Michael Masopust III (Probationary Member of the Year), Sean Boyle, Anastacia Maggs, New Windsor Paramedics and Town of Cornwall Police (Life Saving Award).