Florida's largest volunteer emergency squad continues long tradition of helping neighbors

Sun City Center's Volunteer Emergency Medical Squad

Mark Wilson reports

SUN CITY CENTER, Fla. - We've all heard the saying "it takes a village." That's absolutely the case in Sun City Center, which has an army of volunteers who run its emergency medical squad.

The Sun City Center Volunteer Emergency Medical Squad averages about 5,000 calls per year.

"We're actually able to go out and help people at their worst possible moment, and we're able to help them," said Mike Bardell, Volunteer Chief EMS Sun City Center. "And even if we can't help them, we are able to be there with them. It gives them great comfort in all of this."

It's an all-volunteer group in this retirement community, and it's been around for 60 years.

"It's a fantastic organization and I am so happy to represent this organization," said Chief Bardell. "It does so much good for the community and has been around since… such a very long history of doing good for the community."

The squad started with 35 volunteers and has since expanded to about 400, making it the largest volunteer organization in Florida. Chairman Robin Watt says the average age is about 73 years old.

"A lot of people move away to be back, near family," said Watt. "Some people have health issues that require them to step back, but it's a wonderful place to volunteer and there's a great sense of satisfaction."

It's important to note that everyone is well-trained to do their job. They deal with all kinds of emergencies throughout the day – everything from heart attacks to falls.

"You lose consciousness or you become very malleable, and you fall down between the wall and the toilet. Well, getting you out is a little bit of a challenge," Bardell said.

Herb Hartman is following in the footsteps of his dad, who drove an ambulance for the organization back in the 1980s.

"He had a great time," said Hartman. "He talked about how much fun to be around the people that were here, what he got out of it, and just giving something back for a change."

It's all free, even if they take a patient to a hospital in Tampa. For more information on the Sun City Center Volunteer Emergency Medical Squad, click here.

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