Log in Subscribe

Highland - June 23

Paula Campbell - Community Correspondent
Posted 6/22/20

Certainly, one of the constant bright stars in the Town of Highland is the dedicated and skilled volunteers of the American Legion Ambulance Service.

I went to see a demonstration of the new …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Highland - June 23

Posted

Certainly, one of the constant bright stars in the Town of Highland is the dedicated and skilled volunteers of the American Legion Ambulance Service.

I went to see a demonstration of the new portable disinfection system that was donated to the Ambulance Service by the Town of Highland Lions Club. The unit is portable and electromagnetic and uses other disinfection agents and is the same system being used to clean the NYC subway system.

According to Tony LaRuffa, the Captain of the Service and a certified EMT, the disinfection with the handheld wand takes about three minutes to thoroughly sanitize the ambulance and dry. “This shortens the amount of time the rig is out of service. The treatment kills Covid-19 and everything else. To use the system, you need to wear gloves and goggles but the treatment once it is completed lasts for a month. The chemicals cost $75.00 and two chemical cylinders were given as part of the donation. We are very grateful to the Highland Lions Club for this donation which helps our Ambulance Service keep our vehicles disinfected and in service for longer periods of time”, Mr. LaRuffa said.

According to Kathy Daboul of the Highland Lions Club they planned on buying the disinfection system at a cost of $1,300, but the Lions Club International donated the unit to the Highland Lions. “It was a wonderful donation and a great resource for our Town”, Ms. Daboul said.

After some pretty constant online nagging by Deb Conway, member of the Town of Highland Democratic Party Committee, I completed an application for an absentee ballot. A week later I got my ballot by mail. I completed the ballot and placed it in the enclosed ballot envelope, signed the back of the envelope and placed it in the Board of Election's pre-addressed return envelope which needed no postage. So easy to vote.

I thought I was voting by mail but the applications for the absentee ballots were sent out because of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the Board of Elections the return ballots must be postmarked by June 23rd or received at the Board of Elections office by the 23rd. It's still not too late to register to vote in the upcoming presidential election on November 3rd.

To register to vote you must be a citizen, a resident of New York State, county city or village for at least 30 days before the election, be 18 years old and not claim the right to vote anywhere else. You can register and get additional information at online at elections.ny.gov or come to the voter registration table at the Barryville Farmers Market on Saturday, July 4th.

During the last presidential election in 2016 only 55.7% of eligible voters went to the polls and voted and with many important issues before all Americans now, everyone needs to get out and vote!

I was sorry to hear of the untimely death this week of Dave Hulse one of the exceptionally fine reporters at the River Reporter. My sincere condolences to his family and friends, and he will be missed by many of us.

Contributed Photo

Josef Haas of Yulan a volunteer for the American Legion Ambulance Service demonstrates the new portable electromagnetic disinfection system that was donated to the Ambulance Service by the Town of Highland Lions Club.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here