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 Friend-Of-TVAC
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TVAC in the News |
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May 13,
2010 - TVAC
Puts Fourth Ambulance Into Full Time Service
March 25,
2010 -
TVAC Helps Residents Through Storm and Aftermath
March 4,
2010 -
Quick Thinking By TVAC Prevents Potential Tragedy
February
28, 2010 -
Quick-Thinking EMTs In Teaneck Stop Possible
Carbon-Monoxide Poisoning
February
25, 2010 -
A Great Honor To Serve for Teaneck
February
18, 2010 -
TVAC Responds to Snow Related Emergencies
January
7, 2010 -
TVAC Tops 4,000 Calls in 2009
December
31, 2009 -
TVAC Elects New Officers
Sept. 20, 2009 -
Ambulance Corps Marks 70 Years of Service
September 1953 -
Ambulance Corps, Handles 6,155 Calls
In Fourteen Year History of Service
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Frequently Asked
Questions
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Q: Why
should I join TVAC?
Q: How can I join TVAC?
Q: I am not an EMT - can I join TVAC?
Q: What time commitment does TVAC require
of its members?
Q:
If TVAC never charges their patients, how
does it function financially?
Q: Does TVAC loan medical equipment?
Q:
How do I obtain a copy of the
documentation that was completed when I
used TVAC's services?
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Q: Is TVAC
currently hiring?
Q: Does TVAC have age requirements?
Q: How do I become an EMT?
Q: What shifts are available for riding?
Q: Can non-residents of Teaneck join TVAC?
Q: Where does the money raised for TVAC
through fundraising go?
Q: Can I donate my used medical equipment
to TVAC? |
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Q: Why should I join TVAC?
A:
Membership at TVAC has many
privileges. First and foremost, all TVAC members have
the distinct privilege of giving back to their community in
a regular, meaningful way. Teaneck may be a large
town, but it has the heart of a smaller community that
consistently gives to all of its residents. Membership
at TVAC gives its members a chance to give back to those in
their deepest time of need.
Additionally,
the time spent with TVAC provides the members with
experiences that they most likely would not encounter in any
other setting. Our members hone and refine their
leadership skills, often at ages in which leadership is not
common in the workforce; they develop the ability to
think on their feet in stressful situations; they discover
interests in healthcare and medicine; they build friendships
with other members of the community whom they may not have
had the opportunity to meet otherwise, and they learn skills
as Emergency Medical Technicians that will stay with them
for the rest of their lives. Return to
top |
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Q: Is TVAC
currently hiring?
A:
TVAC is always hiring!
We consistently accept new members throughout the year, and
begin the in-house training process prior to completion of
the Emergency Medical Technician certification course.
Return to top
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Q: How can I join TVAC?
A:
If you can dedicate a minimum of
four (4) hours per week, two Sundays per year, and are able
to complete the Emergency Medical Technician program, we'd
love to have you. Just complete our
application and
send it in....we'll contact you shortly thereafter.
Return to top
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Q: Does TVAC have age requirements?
A:
TVAC accepts members who are at
least 15.5 years old, and does not have a maximum age limit.
We welcome applicants of all ages over 15.5, as long as the
individual is physically able to perform the duties of
an EMT. Return to top
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Q: I am not an EMT - can I join TVAC?
A:
You do not need to be a
certified Emergency Medical Technician to join TVAC, though
we do require that our members enroll in an EMT
certification program as shortly after being accepted as a
member as possible. All applicants should plan to
complete the EMT course within nine months of joining TVAC.
In addition to receiving training through the certification
program, TVAC will work with you to become a confident,
competent EMT through our thorough in-house training
program. Return to top
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Q: How do I become an EMT?
A:
EMT certification courses are
administered in many locations throughout the states of New
Jersey and New York, with the closest facilities to Teaneck
being the
Bergen County EMS Training Center in Paramus, and the
Bergen County
Police, Fire and EMS Academies in Mahwah, NJ. The
courses run in Fall (begins in September), Spring (begins in
January) and Summer semesters. Specific registration
and start dates vary from year to year, but all courses fill
very quickly. It is imperative that registration forms
are submitted as soon as they are received in order to
secure a seat. The 120-hour course generally meets two
evenings a week (see specific sites for details) with
several weekend classes throughout the semester; day classes
are also available. The state of New Jersey requires
all EMT candidates to be 16 years of age by the first day of
their certification course. Return to
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Q: What time commitment does TVAC require of its members?
A:
TVAC has one of the smallest
weekly/monthly hour requirements of all the first aid squads
in our area. All members are required to complete one
four-hour shift per week, in which they ride on crews
staffed by a minimum of one driver and one EMT ready to
respond from the building. Additionally, our
members must fulfill two (2) scheduled Sunday Duty shifts
per year, of which personal preferences are accommodated in
advance. Sunday Duty shifts run from 7am-7pm.
Additional time spent in the building going on calls is
encouraged, though not required. Return
to top
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Q: What shifts are available for riding?
A:
A single day at TVAC is
comprised of several, sometimes overlapping, shifts.
Day shifts can occupy any 4-hour segment, but are usually
contained within the 7am-11am, 11am-3pm and 3pm-7pm time
frames. Evening crews begin at 7pm and end at 11pm.
Overnight, or "sleep-in", shifts begin at 11pm and end at
7am. Each of these shifts are available Monday through
Saturday, with only the evening and sleep-in shifts
available on Sundays. Return to top
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Q: Can non-residents of Teaneck join TVAC?
A:
Absolutely! TVAC currently
has quite a few non-residents on our roster, who provide
service to the township of Teaneck just like their resident
counterparts. Residents and non-residents are treated
equally for training purposes, but non-residents may be
restricted in their shift choice once their training period
has ended. Evening crew preference is given to Teaneck
residents when space is limited. Return
to top
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Q: If TVAC never charges their patients, how does it function financially?
A:
TVAC is not a municipal agency,
but is rather a private, non-profit corporation. A restriction in state law limits
municipal financial contributions to no more than
$75,000 per year. TVAC's annual budget amounts to well
over $300,000 per year, with major expenses for insurance,
training, vehicle maintenance, and disposable sterile
supplies. The rest must be raised via voluntary
contributions. Unfortunately, only 18% of local residents,
and 1% of local businesses contribute to Teaneck's free
ambulance service, and major efforts must be made each year
to inform the public of our financial needs.
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Q: Where does the money raised for TVAC through fundraising go?
A:
All of the money raised for TVAC
through fundraising directly supports the day-to-day
operations of the Corps. Though TVAC does not pay
salaries, all of the other expenses of a company need to be
supported - heating and providing power to our headquarters,
office supplies, medical supplies, insurance, training
costs, vehicle maintenance and many, many more expenses that
are necessary to enable TVAC to continue to function as a
corporation. Return to top |
Q: Does TVAC loan medical equipment?
A: Yes.
TVAC loans out crutches, walkers, canes and wheelchairs to
Teaneck residents with a nominal deposit, which can either
be returned to the borrower upon equipment return or donated
to the Corps. We have plenty of crutches, walkers and
canes, but wheelchairs go very quickly. Please call
(201) 837-2600 (ask for TVAC) to check if a wheelchair is
available. Return to top |
Q: Can I donate my used medical
equipment to TVAC?
A: The only
medical equipment that TVAC is currently accepting are fully
functioning wheelchairs. We no longer accept crutches,
walkers or canes due to our overflowing stock. Return to top |
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Q:
How do I
obtain a copy of the documentation that was completed
when I used TVAC's services?
A:
If
you used TVAC's services and need a copy of the
corresponding documentation ("Call Sheet"), please
complete the
Medical Records Request form and mail it to
our Records Officer. Our mailing address is
indicated on the form, and each request requires
notarization in order to be processed. A nominal
processing fee may be required. Return to top
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