Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance desperately needs a new home — former armory is perfect

The Riverhead Town Board loves first responders…or at least sometimes they try to act like they do. The supervisor and councilpersons show up as invited dignitaries to annual department dinners, take photo ops with volunteers after something heroic occurs, do walk throughs and shake hands at open houses, and march in department parades of the various fire and EMS agencies that serve our town. It’s a symbiotic relationship to be sure. Agencies need the board to approve budgets and other things. The folks on the dais need volunteers to vote for them come election time.

Last month Riverhead Fire Dept volunteers were called into question on a hot mic by the town supervisor. Last week it was Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps that got overlooked when councilman/candidate for supervisor, Tim Hubbard, signed on as co-sponsor by seconding the unanimously supported motion to enter into renewed efforts with YMCA this time to build a recreational facility at the former New York State armory site. Tim is the Town Board liaison to the ambulance corps. Nary a discussion occurred at the meeting prior to the vote about an alternate use for the site or the needs of RVAC that could be met with this parcel.

Over decades of various administrations the Town Board has been aware that the ambulance corps operates out of less than optimal cramped quarters at its main building on Osborn Avenue. Apparatus often sits outside exposed to extreme heat and cold due to lack of building space. The building’s basement was originally used as a meeting room but lacked a secondary exit in the event of fire or other emergency. Some training has to be held off-site. The Town Board even voted at the very same meeting to allow the department to use another town owned facility to hold a class to train new EMTs. The classes leading to the state certification exam lasts close to 200 hours, and typically spans months of weekly classroom and field training.

When the building housing the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps opened in the 1980s, the organization responded to around 2,000 calls a year. Last year the volume exceeded 5,500 alarms. By comparison nearby other volunteer EMS agencies, South Country Ambulance in Bellport and Community Ambulance of Sayville, handle similar call volume to Riverhead. Both departments are now housed in recently built modern buildings that are on par size-wise with our town’s fire department headquarters on Roanoke Avenue, and have necessary, and in some cases OSHA-mandated, dedicated areas to function optimally, including showers, areas that can be used for sleep-in crews, and laundry and decontamination areas for personal protective gear and equipment.

After the Town Board walked back the 2021 idea of relocating Town Hall to the Kmart property, a move that was pitched as including a new proper home for RVAC, the department has continued to make do. The current multimillion dollar move of Town Hall to the former Northwell-Peconic Bay campus at West Second Street made no plans for RVAC’s needs.

Is resurrecting the wish for a YMCA an election year stunt, and why was RVAC overlooked? The allowed use for the armory property under the covenant the town is tied to limits it to only a few purposes with public safety being one. It is one that Riverhead could no doubt apply for grants to make happen. Does prioritizing fun and games over public health and safety get more votes at election time? November may hold the answer.

Mitchell Hagler is a resident of Riverhead

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