EVAC History
The birth of the Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Inc., the first volunteer ambulance corps in the County of Westchester, was in 1949 when volunteer members of the North End Hose Company, a division of the Eastchester Fire Department, suggested that a volunteer ambulance service be established to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community. In the Fall of 1951 a campaign for funds was undertaken and in February of 1952 the Corps voted to purchase their first Cadillac Ambulance. This ambulance responded to its first call on March 1, 1952. EVAC responded to a total of 90 calls in their first full year of operation.
EVAC’s success was quickly recognized due to the growing population in EVAC’s district, by 1967 their yearly calls jumped to 757. As the needs of the community increased the Corps purchased a second ambulance and has been operating a minimum of two ambulances 24 hours per day, 365 days per year ever since.
Since its inception in 1952 EVAC had been stationed at the North End Fire House located on Wilmot Road in the North End of Eastchester. In 1966 the Eastchester Fire Department built an addition onto this fire house to accommodate EVAC.
As the years progressed, EVAC’s membership roster increased. It became necessary that EVAC search for a new headquarters. In 1984 EVAC began a massive building campaign for funds to erect a headquarters of its own.
The Eastchester Fire District agreed to lease EVAC a parcel of vacant land adjacent to the Waverly Fire House on Main Street in Eastchester at the nominal sum of $1.00 per year for a period of ninety-nine years.
On December 6, 1986 EVAC broke ground on what was to become a beautiful, state-of-the-art ambulance headquarters. For over four years EVAC’s friends, neighbors, and merchants joined forces to raise the funds necessary to complete this split level, brick headquarters.
On Sunday October 21, 1990 after a gala parade and ceremony attended by thousands, EVAC dedicated its new headquarters and officially opened for operations. The building was opened “mortgage free’’ thanks to the generosity of the community and commitment of the EVAC members.
In May of 1991 EVAC earned the distinction of being a New York State Department of Health Certified Ambulance Service. Shortly thereafter EVAC forged ahead and became certified as an EMT-D (Defibrillation) Service. This enabled trained EMT-D’s to deliver an electric shock to certain cardiac patients.
EVAC currently provides 24 hour per day basic life support (EMT-D) ambulance service throughout the Town of Eastchester and the Villages of Tuckahoe and Bronxville and transports its patients to local area hospitals. However, Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, NY is designated as EVAC’s primary hospital and medical control facility.