Letter To The Editor: Marbletown First Aid Thankful For Support

MARBLETOWN, NY — With the Holidays upon us, I want to thank our community for supporting the Marbletown First Aid Unit during an extraordinary 12 months. Just over a year ago, we held a public forum announcing that we added paid staff for the first time in 59 years and going forward we’ll need sustained financing to continue serving Marbletown and assigned areas in Rosendale and Rochester.

Like many community rescue ambulance groups, we could no longer field enough volunteers.

Introduction of part-paid, part-volunteer staffing dramatically raised MFAU’s response rate -- enabling us to be out the door for dispatch within 3-5 minutes, 99 to 100 percent of the time month over month.

Your responses have been heartwarming. The 2020 fundraising appeal was outstanding. Also, we were touched by a generous bequest. While the onset of COVID-19 increased first-responder risks, federal aid brought this not-for-profit agency PPP payroll support as well as an SBA loan.

We welcome a $5,000 Town of Rochester and a $40,000 Town of Marbletown contribution. Thanks to both town boards.

This fall we have received a warm response to MFAUSTRONG.COM – our public education campaign explaining why sustained public sector funding will be needed to continue MFAU’s service. We’ll soon be discussing options for that funding with officials and residents.

Thank you for the past year, and thanks in advance for a generous response to MFAU’s 2021 annual appeal which is in the mail.

Happy Holidays!

Charles Foster
Acting Chair
Marbletown First Aid Unit