BAY RIDGE — The Bay Ridge Ambulance Volunteer Organization, BRAVO, which provides free emergency medical services to the neighborhoods of Bay Ridge, Fort Hamilton and Dyker Heights, achieved a monumental milestone: its fiftieth anniversary. 

“None of us really thought we’d be here this long,” Anthony Napoli, president of BRAVO since 2019, told the Brooklyn Eagle. “I signed up in 1975, after BRAVO was in its second year, because of a phone call I received telling me about it. It seemed interesting, and I just applied.” 

Volunteer ambulance services were founded out of necessity in the early 1970s because the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, which operated NYC EMS until it merged with the FDNY in 1996, did not have enough ambulances to handle the volume of emergency calls due to underfunding. This led to wait times of 40 minutes to an hour or more.

“In the early 1970s, New York City was going through a rough time with ambulance service availability in the 911 system,” Napoli recalled.

Beginnings

Led by Community Board Chairman Hank Vogt with the assistance of John Rusin, a handful of civic leaders began to gather documentation from the NYS Volunteer Ambulance Association and the Board of Health to justify the need for a volunteer ambulance service in this community.

With additional support from politicians, religious groups and civic associations, BRAVO was able to secure a charter and the necessary certifications to operate. The first meeting for members was held on Jan. 24, 1974, in which BRAVO accepted 103 applications for new members. 

BRAVO opened its doors in a location founded by Councilmember Angelo J. Arculeo, 85th Street and Seventh Avenue, where it still operates from today. 

On July 4, 1974, the company responded to its first call, officially providing EMS to Bay Ridge.  After only a month, BRAVO was able to extend service to provide ambulance coverage 24-hours per day.

BRAVO now operates three New York State Department of Health certified ambulances, where they provide pre-hospital care, transportation and promote health and wellness in the community.

The company runs predominantly on donations and “a minimal amount” of discretionary funds from New York City, as well as grants, Napoli said.   

Volunteers from all walks of life

Everyone at BRAVO — from the EMTs, dispatchers and administrators to the cleaning and maintenance crew — is a volunteer. 

“Our volunteers are professionals from all walks of life,” Napoli pointed out. “They sign up for four-hour shifts on a scheduling platform and work about 10 hours a week.”

All volunteer EMTs are trained and certified through the New York State Department of Health. The training takes six months — usually two nights a week — and costs about $1,400. However, New York State reimburses students who are part of volunteer ambulance services.

Napoli noted that BRAVO has about 80 active volunteers currently, which is quite a drop from decades ago when it had more than 250. However, according to Napoli, BRAVO has amassed more than 250,000 hours of volunteer time since its inception in 1974. 

A personal touch

“We believe we offer more of a personal touch than traditional ambulances,” explained Diane Napoli, a member of BRAVO’s board of directors. “This is one of the worst moments of a person’s life, and you want to help them through it as best you can with as much compassion and professionalism as possible.” 

Napoli joined BRAVO in 1975. 

“I was told by a friend of mine that it was a great way to meet boys,” she said. “And my friend was right. Because BRAVO is where I met Anthony, who years later became my husband.” 

Anyone interested in joining BRAVO or donating to the organization can visit bravoambulance.org.