During the month of April, the Helderberg Ambulance Squad responded to 28 calls. There were 12 transports with 10 medical, one trauma, and one motor-vehicle incident. There were 16 non-transport calls, and the members were able to provide a crew for all 28 calls.

Seventeen of the calls were from the town of Berne, nine were from Knox, one was from Westerlo, and one was mutual aid.

The first Thursday of each month is drill night. In April, the squad practiced splinting and immobilizing limbs.

On May 5, the Berne Fire District planned a mock drunk-driving crash for the students at Berne-Knox-Westerlo. The pretend accident was located at the intersection of routes 9 and 443 in the hamlet of Berne.

Nena Ruiz and Jerry O’Malley assisted in extricating and caring for the pretend patients involved in the accident.Many thanks are extended to Fredendall Funeral Home in Altamont for supplying the hearse for the incident and also to Gerry Cross for driving the hearse.

This is such an important event especially during prom season.  Thank-you also to the firefighters of the Berne and East Berne fire companies.  The drill was recorded and is available on YouTube.

Be sure to visit Helderberg Ambulance on Facebook.

Enjoy the warm weather and stay safe.

Editor’s note: Mildred Zuk is a member of Helderberg ambulance.