[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 99 (Friday, June 16, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BELVIDERE AMBULANCE CORPS INC.

                                 ______


                           HON. MARGE ROUKEMA

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 16, 1995

  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Belvidere 
Ambulance Corps Inc. on the 50th anniversary of its dedicated service 
to the people of Belvidere, NJ. I am certain you realize how difficult 
it is to find people who are willing to invest their time and energy to 
become an emergency medical technician, answer calls at all hours of 
the day and night, and keep up with the continuing education required 
for this skill. Yet the men and women of the Belvidere Ambulance Corps 
have accepted this challenge and perform their arduous duties gladly. 
They truly care about the fellow members of their community.
  The history of the Belvidere Ambulance Corps is one that began with a 
sad, unfortunate, and avoidable tragedy. On June 28, 1945, Belvidere 
merchant Matthew Hains was pushing his stalled car when he became 
pinned between the door and a utility pole and was seriously injured. A 
local doctor rushed to the scene and immediately called for an 
ambulance, but it took more than an hour for one to arrive from out of 
town. Mr. Hains made it 15 miles to the Easton [Pennsylvania] Hospital 
but died 2 days later. Belvidere had lost one of its most valued young 
citizens for lack of an ambulance.
  The citizens of Belvidere responded swiftly. On July 2, 1945--only 4 
days after the accident--the mayor appointed an ambulance fund 
committee and an ambulance was shortly in service. Over the years, the 
ambulance service has grown considerably, gaining its own building in 
1946, a crash truck and boat in 1963, a jaws-of-life tool in 1976, Med-
Evac helicopter flights in 1983 and 911 emergency calling in 1994.
  Since that fateful day in 1945, the Belvidere Ambulance Corps has 
answered roughly 27,000 calls, an average of 11 a week, put in more 
than 115,000 person hours, an average of 45 hours a week, and put 
nearly 700,000 miles on its vehicles--the equivalent of crossing the 
United States 224 times. These figures do not include time spent on 
education, drills, or equipment maintenance.
  The ambulance corps will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a parade 
on Saturday. More than 1,000 participants and spectators are expected 
to participate and show ambulance workers their support. I wish them 
continued success in their next 50 years.

                          ____________________