As the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps (HVAC) celebrates 40 years of service, President Thomas Molta and Captain Scott Whalen continue to go through thick and thin as first responders in Hoboken.
The two said they can see how Hoboken has changed just by listening to the calls that come in on the HVAC radio.
The calls used to be for industrial injuries, like workers being caught in machines or other workplace accidents, according to Whalen. Then, the responses became more violent. The corps was being called to the scene to help stabbing and shooting victims.
We lived ‘Delivered Vacant.’ – HVAC President Thomas Molta
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Molta first entered the HVAC when he was 16 years old, in 1979, after his friends joined, and Whalen has been on board since 1976, when he was 15.
Through their work, the two have seen the transformation of Hoboken, and they have the stories to prove it.
From recovering burning bodies during the gentrification era, when apartments were burned and tenants were forced out of their buildings, to happier occasions like delivering babies, the two have served the community for over three decades.
“When you’re there to deliver a baby, everything just seems right in the world,” Molta said last week in his HVAC office. Molta has delivered 27 babies over the years.
Whalen, who also works at Hoboken University Medical Center as a security guard, grew up near the HVAC building at 707 Clinton St., near the A&P. The building used to be a barn. Whalen said the building was a popular hangout for Hoboken kids, and the members of the ambulance corps joke that Whalen “came with the building.”
The ambulance corps is made up completely of volunteers, and the members do not charge for their services. In addition to their work on the ambulance corps, the volunteers also work as Wall Street professionals, firefighters, attorneys, and cops.
Now, with their 40-year anniversary upon them, as with many other organizations in Hoboken, the money is tight.
Raising funds
HVAC is the only remaining volunteer ambulance corps in Hudson County. They rely on donations and on money from the city of Hoboken. They receive approximately $40,000 from the local government annually. However, their annual operating expenses are closer to $140,000 every year.
“We do a lot of our own fundraising,” Molta said. “We spend countless hours just at the PATH station shaking the can.”
Molta said the organization also holds an annual fundraiser in September asking residents for donations. He added last week that the number one need for the organization is money, as donations have dried up over the years.
The group also intends to forgo its next every-five-years anniversary party, which can cost anywhere between $30,000 and $50,000. Molta said this year the group decided that if they raise the money, the funds will go to new equipment instead of a one-night gala.
Molta said the team of volunteers decided that $30,000 would be much better spent on new, top of the line stretchers, which often cost approximately $10,000 each.
9/11, ‘Delivered Vacant’, and more
The two veterans, Molta and Whalen, reflected on their years of service last week in the busy and often loud HVAC office.
In addition to fielding hundreds of calls annually on Hoboken St. Patrick’s Day, the pair have endured other unique events over the years.
Molta, who keeps a copy of the documentary film “Delivered Vacant” in his desk, said last week “we lived ‘Delivered Vacant.’ ”
“Delivered Vacant” is a documentary that profiles the spike in building fires in the 1980s in Hoboken that resulted in tenants being forced out. At the time, many old apartment buildings were being converted to condos.
Molta said the HVAC would pick up bodies from the fires and drive them to St. Mary Hospital (now Hoboken University Medical Center) where a doctor would pronounce the fire victim dead. Then they would transfer the body to a funeral home on Second and Washington streets.
HVAC no longer picks up bodies.
Sept. 11
But they have seen a lot of tragedy in recent years as well.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Whalen and Molta worked at a triage unit set up near the Hoboken PATH station, where 2,212 people were treated.
Whelan said the Police Department commandeered the bar Texas Arizona near the PATH and used it as a command post that day.
They remember seeing two New York City firemen depart from the PATH station tubes, walking around, wondering where they were.
“They just got on the tracks [in NYC] and started walking,” Molta said. “But they were blinded by all the debris. We told one of them, ‘Brother, you’re in Jersey.’ ”
After the New York firemen asked, the HVAC helped the two men get back across the river to go help their fellow firefighters.
Molta also recalled treating 165 people in Hoboken after the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993.
Now, in addition to responding to regular incidents, the HVAC plans for larger events, like the upcoming July 4 fireworks on the Hudson River. They estimate that between 30,000 and 50,000 spectators descend upon Hoboken for a great view of the Macy’s fireworks on the Hudson. A Hudson River fireworks display means more planning and work for the HVAC, including setting up command centers and posts to deal with major and minor injuries from an influx of people coming to Hoboken.
Molta said many of the incidents on July 4 are known as “FDGB” incidents.
“We get a lot of ‘fall down go boom,” Molta said, referring to people that just need Band-Aids. The corps also deals with people who have heatstroke or other heat related injuries during the celebration.
Last year, HVAC navigated the crowded Pier A Park to attend to a man who had a heart attack in the middle of the fireworks celebration.
When duty calls
Calls for service to the ambulance corps come from the Hoboken Police Department radio dispatcher.
What is unique in Hoboken (and most other volunteer squads) is that the HVAC will never ask someone for insurance or a payment. Other ambulance corps in Hudson County ask for proof of insurance, and then charge someone for a service, or bill their insurance companies. The service from the HVAC is entirely free, including the ride to the hospital. The reason for the free service is because HVAC is a non-profit organization, compared to other ambulance corps in the county that are not volunteer-based.
“There are some volunteer squads that bill,” Molta said. “But for the most part, volunteer squads are usually free. There are still a couple of things left in this world that are free, and we’re one of them.”
In addition to the financial benefits for residents of Hoboken, Molta said there are other advantages to having a volunteer ambulance corps in town.
“Most people only go to work because they’re going to collect a paycheck, but they don’t really want to be there,” Molta said. “People come here to work for free because they enjoy it. When someone enjoys what they’re doing, they produce better.”
Their home
Inside the walls of 707 Clinton St. is a place of team-building and camaraderie. Large televisions, beds, and cooking areas are usually filled with volunteers waiting for the call to go out and serve the people of Hoboken.
This past winter served as a memorable time for many of the 88 HVAC volunteers, as some of the EMT’s were basically trapped in the headquarters during the infamous snowstorm in Hoboken.
“It was great,” Molta said. “We didn’t have a lot of calls, but we cooked, hooked up someone’s Wii (gaming system); it was great for teambuilding.”
On the walls include remnants of history of the Ambulance Corps, including photos of the original response teams. Also on the walls is the incident report of the HVAC’s first call, which took place on May 23, 1971. The call was a three-alarm fire along the waterfront at an industrial site.
Molta said last week that many other ambulance corps point out a need for members. In Hoboken, even though it’s a volunteer group, the need for members isn’t the most critical. They need funds to survive and continue to not charge for services.
New members are accepted on a rolling basis. After filling out an application, potential members attend CPR training classes and become certified. The next CPR training class is June 19 at 9 a.m. at 707 Clinton St., the HVAC headquarters.
The headquarters was purchased in 1973 for only $14,000. Molta said the original buyers had the option of purchasing the space next door for $12,000, but declined.
“They thought they’d never need it, but now the property is worth millions,” Molta said.
Whalen, who can still name the original 14 members of the first ambulance corps, said it took time for the volunteer organization to gain the trust of the fire and police departments.
The call numbers peaked in 1984, when the group responded to close to 7,000 calls for service. Now, they respond to approximately 5,000 calls per year.
With fast response times and responsible handling of emergencies, HVAC became respected by the fellow public safety departments, and they remain a trusted volunteer organization 40 years after their founding.
To donate money or find out more, visit HobokenEMS.com.
Ray Smith may be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com