The Mastic Beach Ambulance Company gave out its annual Top Responder and Volunteer Hours Awards.
Top Responders gave an astonishing 2,704 hours to the Mastic Beach community and winners of the Volunteer Service Award gave 6,343 hours.
“Our volunteers are the heart of the community and we are proud of their dedication to the Department,” said Mastic Beach Ambulance Company.
The South Shore Press spoke with Shawn Hester, winner of both the Top Responder and Volunteer Service award categories. Shawn volunteered 980 hours of his time and responded to 490 ambulance calls all while working a regular job as an ambulance dispatcher at a private ambulance company.
Asked what motivated him to devote so much of his time to the Mastic Beach community doing such important and often lifesaving work, Hester said he started when he was 13 yrs. old in the youth program. Hester, now 20, spent 4 hours every week learning from Youth Squad Instructors as a kid.
Hester says that following in his family’s footsteps was important to him. “My uncle got his EMT down in North Carolina and then worked his way up to being a paramedic. He told me his stories about what he did when he was on the job, and it interested me. When I found out about Mastic Beach's youth program, I knew I wanted to do this. I joined and worked my way up.”
All of the awardees spend so much time on behalf of their community. Hester said what they all have in common is, “Everyone has a caring personality. We all live within the area, so it's all of us wanting to help our community - to help others. It is rewarding to see the outcome of a medical emergency and know you had something to do with helping that person.”
Hester said, “Everyone has to have that passion and caring because If you don't have the caring aspect, it's just a job and not fulfilling.”
Asked what he would say to people who might be thinking about joining, Hester says, “I guess I’d say if you're not sure, give it a shot. If it's not for you, it's not for you. You're there to help people. You're doing a good thing. Everyone is appreciative”
The Mastic Beach Ambulance Company is looking for more volunteers. See the details on their Facebook page and at www.masticbeachambulance.com
The awardees are:
Top Responders (calls answered)
Shawn Hester- 490 Edward Merchant - 191
Jalen Mattei - 440 Amanda Didiego - 148
Stephen White - 263 Jenny Hoffman - 143
Ray Campos - 237 Briana Mercado - 123
Michelle Clements - 226 John Hopkins - 115
Gabrielle Pancir - 214 Makayla Howard - 114
2024 VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS
Shawn Hester - 980 hours Ray Campos - 780 hours
Stephen White - 976 hours Amanda Didiego - 772 hours
Michelle Clements - 868 hours Gabrielle Pancir - 610 hours
Edward Merchant - 802 hours Jenny Hoffman - 555 hours