OUR HISTORY

The Beginnings

In 1968 seven people identified the need for an ambulance operating in the North Syracuse community, and undertook the responsibility to organize such a service.  Prior to the formation of NAVAC ambulance service was provided to the Northern area of Onondaga County by hearses operated by the Fergerson Funeral Home.

NAVAC initially purchased two used ambulances and housed them in the North Syracuse Village garage on South Bay Road, immediately behind the current village hall. The corporation’s first meetings were held in the North Syracuse Fire Department on South Bay Road, and training sessions alternated between the Hinsdale Fire Department and the North Syracuse Fire Department.

The ambulance corps answered its first call on October 24, 1970, and answered 184 calls that year. The uniforms at that time were a white shirt, white pants, white hat, and a black tie. The first fire standby was at the St. Rose of Lima Church on February 12, 1971. By 1975 the ambulance corps annual call volume reached 2,272 calls. And in 1998 it exceeded 5,000.

Shortly after beginning operations, NAVAC moved its headquarters to a former gas station on the corner of Gertrude Street and South Bay Road. It moved again to radio station WSOQ, on Route 11 near the intersection with West Circle Drive. NAVAC moved again to the back room of the North Syracuse Fire Department on Chestnut Street, which is now known as the North Syracuse Community Center. Finally in 1973 NAVAC purchased a Cape Cod house on Fergerson Avenue in North Syracuse.

Fundraising was accomplished through smokers held at the VFW on Lemoyne Avenue in Mattydale, and also craft fairs, bake sales, and a wagon of cheer. The first fund drive was held on October 16, 1971, when fund raisers went door-to-door throughout the village of North Syracuse.

Flying to New Heights

In 1989 the New York State Police Aviation Detail located at Syracuse Airport asked NAVAC to staff their helicopter with a medic/paramedic for the purpose of providing medevac service.  A group of medics were trained to operate aboard the helicopter, and were dispatched to the NYSP hanger when they were needed.

As helicopter programs matured the Central New York EMS Program developed requirements for medevac programs.  One result of this was that in 1994 NAVAC began to station a paramedic in the NYSP Aviation Detail station for the 15, later 16, hours a day that the helicopter was in service.  This Flight Paramedic was trained to be a crew member of the aircraft and participated in all missions flown by the aircraft.

Executive Direction

Reliable and consistent leadership had been a common problem to NAVAC and other organizations of its nature.  This was compounded by a growing call volume and the addition of Career Members necessary to cover these calls.  In another “first” NAVAC undertook a search for an Executive Director to lead NAVAC on a full time basis.  Chaired by Craig Cash, a committee defined an architecture for this new position combining responsibilities of the President and Director of Operations.  After defining the position the committee initiated a nation-wide search for a person capable of filling the job and meeting NAVAC’s needs.  In August 1994 Chris Bitner accepted this position and became the first compensated director of a volunteer ambulance corps in Onondaga County.

More Space

Shortly after moving into its new home on Fergerson Avenue the leadership of NAVAC recognized that yet more space was necessary to accommodate the activities of the organization. After evaluating many ideas and plans, a property at 603 North Main Street in the village of North Syracuse was purchased in 1993 from the Aicholtz family. In the ensuing years a headquarters was designed by a committee of Members in conjunction with Sheila Weed of Group1 Design.

A capital campaign was organized, entitled “Building the Future,” to raise $1.5 million necessary to undertake this project. John Merola, M.D., and Carl Marlow, M.D., prominent physicians in the North Syracuse community, chaired a campaign led by Michael Bragman, Roger Burdick, and Craig Cash.

Construction on NAVAC’s new headquarters began in 1999 with a ground breaking on September 9, 1998. Lenny Scarano managed this project for NAVAC and worked closely with Gary Butterfield of Butterfield Construction, the general contractor. Construction was completed in June 1999, at which time NAVAC moved into its new home. A ribbon cutting and open house celebrating this achievement was held in September 1999.

Lost and Joined

Much like NAVAC’s own beginnings, a group of people saw the need for an organized team that specialized in the search for lost and missing people. The Wilderness Search and Rescue Team was formed to fill that need. After approximately 10 years of operation the members of the team became aware of the shortcomings of being a small and specialized organization and similarly saw the advantages of joining with a larger and more established one.

As a result WSAR merged with NAVAC in January of 2001, and today functions as an operating unit of NAVAC.

Charter Members

It is a widely accepted fact that the most valuable asset of any organization, paid or volunteer, for-profit or non-profit, is its people.  People are what give an organization life, determine its personality and character, and give it the spirit needed to accomplish its goals.   One very special group of people within NAVAC are its Charter Members.  The Charter Members are those that signed the documents that formed the corporation known as the North Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps.  Our Charter Members include:

Presidents

Traditionally the President was the chairman of NAVAC’s Board of Directors as well as the manager of its administrative affairs.  Presidents of NAVAC include:

Directors of Operations

The Directors of Operations was the chief EMT/Medic and was responsible for the daily operation of the ambulances. The Directors of Operations of NAVAC were:

Incorporate Members

Another special group of people within NAVAC are its Incorporate Members. Incorporate Members are those who were members of the corporation at the time of its inception.  They include