The Town of Tonawanda Paramedic Unit celebrated 50 years of service with the rededication of the American flag, Thursday.
It is the longest continuous serving paramedic unit in Western New York, and believed to be the oldest in New York State.
Up until the mid-20th century, emergency medical services in the U.S. were barebones, with many “ambulance attendants” having little to no medical training. Drawing on survival statistics with combat medics in Vietnam, paramedic units popped up nationwide in the 1960s and 70s.
In service since 1975, the Tonawanda Paramedic Unit was the brainchild of the late Town Supervisor, James V. Ryan. The town’s emergency services coordinator, Robert Lutz said Ryan envisioned providing "first rate" professional emergency medical services to the citizens of Tonawanda and the Village of Kenmore.
"That continues to this day," Lutz said. "We take a lot of pride in that. We live here, so we work hard to service our community."
In the unit’s inaugural year, there were nine full-time paramedics and just one emergency response vehicle. But it’s grown since then.
"So today, we have five vehicles that they run with 20 full time paramedics and a few part timers," Lutz said.
The town operates what Lutz calls a “fly car system." First responders are equipped with all-wheel-drive vehicles that help them get to an emergency faster than an ambulance. And they are available 24/7.
"When the units started in the first year, they took 1700 calls, and the population of our town was bigger. And now they take over 8000 calls a year, so it keeps everybody pretty busy."
The service is mainly funded through town tax dollars, and subsidized through the Ryan Foundation which was established in 1985 by the late supervisor’s wife, the late Fay P. Ryan.
Current Town Supervisor, Joe Emminger, said the flag rededication is the kick off to a weekend celebrating the unit's anniversary.
"You will be hard pressed to find anyone in the town of Tonawanda who hasn't been impacted by our paramedics. They've saved lives," he said.
