Lt. Daniel K. Kehoe, (Ret.)
The earliest ambulances in Suffield were run by the Suffield Police Department, some say going back to the 1940s.
EM-1
When the SVAA was officially founded as a private, non-profit organization to provide emergency ambulance service to the Town of Suffield, the first box-style ambulance was a Horton of Ohio. It was named, “EM-1” for “Emergency Medical 1”, and later renamed “139-1” when we began participating in the CMED North Central radio system in 1983.
This ambulance served as the sole vehicle for the SVAA for almost 10 years and through the reign of three chiefs (initially called a “Coordinator”): Billy Phelps, Debbie Pohanka, and Chris Schmeck.
Early founders said that the SVAA had to get a waiver to have a blue stripe on the side because the State of Connecticut mandated orange stripes. Crews were instructed in bad weather to wash “up to the blue line” when returning from a call.
139-2
The second ambulance came online in February 1990, donated by Ray and Ina Perrault. Ray was so touched by the kindness and care his ill wife received by the SVAA crew on a medical call that he was moved to donate an entire ambulance!
This was the first and only pickup-front end ambulance ever used. All others were van-type, or in later years, truck-based.
139-3
The Perraults donated another ambulance in the early 1990s, and so the original EM-1 was retired (sold, I believe, to a service in West Virginia) and 139-2 became the first out ambulance. This new ambulance, another van-type, was labeled 139-3, and arrived as the Annex was renovated to house two ambulances.
This ambulance was retired from service when the Zak family donated an ambulance in 1996. It was sold to Lime Rock raceway in northwestern Connecticut.
The Zak family donated an ambulance in 1996, and another in 1999, at a cost of well over $100,000 each. This striking display of love and appreciation for the SVAA and its volunteers was evident again when the family donated $250,000 toward the present facility at 205 Bridge Street which opened in May 2007.
At the June 2011 Rotary Club of Suffield Paul Harris Dinner, club president Dan Kehoe awarded Mary Anne Zak a Paul Harris for community service, noting that her donated ambulances had served the SVAA well, as it was just that week one was retired from service.
The truck-based ambulances
In the mid-2000s, the SVAA moved to larger, truck-based ambulances. This decision was based on concerns that van-type ambulances (and transmissions) were not sturdy enough to handle the increasingly large and heavy boxes on the back of a van chassis.
As ambulances were retired and replaced, the new truck-based versions offered larger patient compartments and air-ride suspensions (including the driver seat).
The size of the SVAA’s ambulances continued to increase, showcasing slightly updated and more modern color schemes with each new purchase.
A host of other vehicles complemented the ambulances over the years, including:
- Duty officer’s vehicle (position established when the officer positions were formed)
- Paramedic fly-car (after 2000 when the SVAA became a paramedic service)
- Chief’s car (usually an Explorer or later, an Expedition)
- Golf cart for the Soccer Tournament and other outside events
- EMS trailer with mass casualty supplies
- Off-road four-wheeler for brush rescue
- Bicycles for the SVAA Bike Team