History of the Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services

  • July 15, 1931 - Chapter Charter (American Red Cross) received from President Herbert Hoover
  • 1936 - First ambulance was a donated special built Packard, which accommodated a wheelchair. William Wilcox, driver and Pauline Edwards, nurse
  • 1941 - First Aid classes taught by Dr. Donald Currie
  • 1941-46 - Chapter received awards of recognition for support of US Armed Forces in World War II
  • 1944-45 - New Chevrolet ambulance purchased
  • September 1976 - Charles Mattson joined ambulance volunteers as first E.M.T.
  • May 1977 - First E.M.T. class on Shelter Island
  • July 1980 - Lease signed with Shelter Island Town for new ambulance building on Manwaring Road
  • October 1982 - First Advanced E.M.T. class on Shelter Island
  • April 1984 - 1984 Ford III modular ambulance delivered. Equipped for Advanced Life Support service
  • 1986 - Ben Jones joined the ambulance volunteers as the First Paramedic
  • January 1987 - Ambulance volunteers delivered first baby going over Sag Harbor Bridge…to date three babies have been delivered by ambulance volunteers
  • March 1991 - Dedicated Red Cross Education and Disaster Rooms at Town Medical Center
  • December 1993 - Ambulances were NYS certified. Shelter Island has the only Red Cross Emergency Ambulance in the USA
  • March 5, 1999 - Shelter Island Chapter (American Red Cross) re-chartered
  • 1999 - A.E.D. (Automated External Defibrillation) program started. First instructor, Jack Thilberg, trained community members
  • 2000 - Freightliner ambulance delivered
  • September 2001 Two ambulance crews assist victims of the Word Trade Center attack
  • August 2003 - Ground-breaking ceremony for new ambulance building
  • February 2006 - 12 people sign up at open house to volunteer, bringing the total record breaking number of 36 volunteers, including drivers, Basic EMTs, and Advanced EMTs
  • January 2012 - Shelter Island Town acquires ambulance service from the American Red Cross. Shelter Island Ambulance Foundation, Inc. created
  • February 2015 - Donation from the Aunita R. Lucas Scholarship Fund received to be used for educating and training EMTs who serve the Shelter Island community
  • February 2015 - LUCAS Chest Compression System is purchased
  • December 2015 - New ambulance delivered. Purchased solely with community donations to the Shelter Island Ambulance Foundation
  • Fall 2018 - Anticipated arrival of state of the art ambulance obtained through the generous donations to this foundation