The EMT Association created in Marion in the late 1970s has disbanded after distributing over $440,000 in 44 years to support the town’s first responders.
The decision was officially announced in a letter written by Cornelia R. Dougall stating that, “as of January 1, 2024, the Marion EMT Association has donated the last of its funds and has ceased to exist as a public 501(c)(3) charity, and donations can no longer be accepted.”
The town’s takeover of these services via the Fire and Police departments and the Board of Health lessened the need for the association, which was already lacking in next-generation members.
According to William “Dale” Jones, the original chairman, the association had essentially run its course.
“The sad thing is now we’re at the point where it’s best to shut down our association and not accept any more donations but recommend those donations go to the Fire Department,” said Jones, who today in retirement is a crossing guard and a member of Marion’s Planning Board.
The association was not a government entity but a fundraising group that distributed over $440,000 over a 44-year period of existence. Money was raised to fund equipment on town ambulances, fire engines and police cruisers. All of the prehospital care that resulted from the association’s efforts was carried out at no cost to Marion taxpayers.
Jones recalled a 1975 mandate from the federal government’s department of transportation requiring certification for states’ and towns’ EMT’s.
“It was such a quantum leap to see what we could do as EMT’s compared to paramedics. Paramedics in the field can do what RN’s can do in a hospital,” he said.
With association funding, the town ran a program to teach non-police and non-fire to participate.
“Originally, we were going to make all Police and Fire EMT’s, but a lot of people didn’t want to do it. We ended up with a bunch of so-called civilians who completed the course,” said Jones, alluding to six weeks of intensive training, academic work and hands-on experience. “At the end of the program, (Selectman) Joe Zora wanted to set up an organization.”
Jones was appointed chairman. At the time, fellow Planning Board member Jon Henry was captain of the Fire Department but had too much on his plate to personally participate in the EMT program. Jones invited by Zora to review the situation. “He said, ‘set up a group and you’re going to be a department, just like the Fire and the Police (departments).’”
Of 30 original trainees, the association realized approximately a dozen members who could make the time to serve. Some people, said Jones, just wanted first-aid training. Over 40 years, the group ran two ambulances and worked on call, adding people along the way. The association was in full force until a few years ago when Emergency Medical Services became part of the Marion Fire Department.
Jones pointed to the association’s second director Jim Dougall for “good ideas” like raising money for equipment for the town. In 1980, three years after the town EMS had begun providing certified EMT’s and had taken responsibility for Marion’s ambulance service, Dougall formed a 501©(3) charity. His sister, Joan Wing, did the financial work. Together, they collaborated with the VFW to raise money for three ambulances for the town and associated equipment.
After EMS became part of the Fire Department, the association continued as a fund-raising arm.
“We never solicited, it was just people who donated to us and appreciated our services,” said Jones. “Joan had tremendous ability to invest money we were able to use for equipment. Sometimes it’s a little difficult to deal with the government. The private sector has more flexibility.”
The disbandment of the EMT Association is the second time in the past few years that a group of long-standing public servants ceased operations.
Seeing that the town had similarly taken control of decision-making, the Council on Aging’s Advisory Board dissolved but immediately reinvented itself outside the government context as a fund-raising arm known as the Cushing Community Center Working Group. The group has helped transform the former VFW property into a community center with an outdoor presence featuring a paved walking path, permanent benches and a lighted, covered pavilion.
The spirit of volunteerism and community commitment is very much like the history of the EMT Association.
According to Cornelia Dougall’s letter, mundane items such as bandaging supplies to state-of-the-art cardiac monitors and stretchers, pagers, two-way radios and a 2022 purchase of a UTV for the Fire Department to use in remote rescue missions were all made possible by EMT Association funds. Marion EMT’s and paramedics also benefited with training and continuing education. The EMT Association made its final donation to the COA for loanable medical equipment.
Cornelia Dougall’s letter publicly thanks “the many Marion EMT’s and paramedics over the past four decades that selflessly dedicated their time and resources to this valuable charity. We also thank the VFW for their generous support over many more years to prehospital care in Marion. We are most humbly grateful to the people from far and wide who made generous financial donations to our association. Without the donations we would not have existed.”
By Mick Colageo