Special Events
2003 Awards Dinner

BA-2

1947

Back in October 1946, members of the Northeast Civic Association decided something should be done to aid the local physicians. The Association felt there was a definite need for an ambulance to provide transportation and equipment for the sick and injured. Bogota's Mayor at the time, John D. Lynn, had concurred in the views of the Association. He appointed a fact-finding committee to study the operations of the ambulance squads in other communities, consider the need in Bogota, and report back to the Council. Hearing an Association report that Bogota needed an ambulance corps, the Mayor and Council appointed three men to form a nucleus of such an organization: George Kennedy, Sr., Louis Ruggiero and John Finelli. After a long series of meetings, Acting Mayor H.R. Jansen inducted the first officers of the Squad on September 11, 1947. George Kennedy, Jr., one of the first officers, is still an active member today. The Squad purchased a 1948 Buick Ambulance and answered its first call at 8:00 a.m. on August 26, 1948. 

1959

The Squad purchases its second ambulance, a 1959 Eureka Hi-top Cadillac Conversion.

1989

The P&L Wolfington Ambulance is purchased

1995

The Medtech Saturn III Ambulance is purchased

1997

The squad celebrates 50 years of service.

2001

May

Individual Adult Volunteer  (over age 18)

Award Recipient  George Kennedy Jr., Bogota

George Kennedy Jr. (left), pictured here with Lynn Singer, president of the Volunteer Center Board of Directors.

George Kennedy is at the Bogota ambulance building every day of the week and many nights. He answers every call during the day every day and is assigned to a night crew once a week. He covers for sick and absent squad members. He drives, tends to the sick and injured - just like all the other members of the Bogota First Aid Squad. The only difference is that he has a lot more experience. George joined the Bogota First Aid Squad 54 years ago, when it was formed on September 11, 1947. Now, at the grand old age of 79, he can still show the younger members of the squad how things are done. He sets a wonderful example for volunteers everywhere, and has saved countless lives through his dedicated service to the town and people of Bogota.

September

Bogota is one of many agencies that responded to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.

2002

January

Neil Parish of Berkley California had purchased our old 1959 ambulance and restored it. Here is a picture of it before restoration:

Somebody had painted it red. Since when is red a Bogota color? Neil restored the ambulance to its original green color.

Neil has spent over $65,000 to restore this ambulance. It only cost $14,000 in 1959. 

Update: October 6, 2003. Neal Parish sold this ambulance to a collector in the Netherlands. It's lost once again. Hopefully this ambulance will get a new website sometime in the future.

November 

Losap, the Length of Service Awards Program, was placed on the ballot for a vote in November. It was defeated. The public was not properly informed of the issues.

A bid specification was put together at the request of the borough mayor and council for a new ambulance. This was completed December 19, 2002. 

2003

October

The corps received a new Horton ambulance to replace BA-1. It entered service this month.

November

In 1989 a P&L Wolfington ambulance entered service in the borough. It was retired this month. In its 14 years of service it answered 5,600 calls and traveled over 20,000 miles. At the time of its retirement it was one of the oldest ambulances in active service in New Jersey. This ambulance saw many things in its career, the first world trade center bombing in 1993, the Napp chemical fire in Lodi New Jersey in 1995, among the many calls. A solid vehicle, it was sad to see it go.