Kyle Lynch watched the call go out for help from people hit by Hurricane Sandy and then did what he does best — respond. Lynch helped organize and rally local community support for a Hurricane Sandy relief effort based out of the SAC building on Washington Avenue. A lieutenant with the Sloatsburg Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Lynch said he was moved by the devastation witnessed in parts of New York and just wanted to help out. This past Saturday, the SAC building bustled as final preparations were made to gather up donations and drive them to Breezy Point in Rockaway, Queens, one of the hardest hit NY coastal communities.

SAC Vice President Bruce Ferguson and Crew Chief Allan Clark busily loaded an ambulance with supplies, including bags of clothes and boxes full of canned goods and toiletries — before both were suddenly called away on an emergency call.

Lynch, Sue Crowell and Alina Panchyshyn finished loading up their rescue vehicle and  then made the long drive east to Breezy Point. The community was ravaged by an uncontrollable fire on the night Sandy struck that engulfed more than 100 homes and businesses, lighting up house after house, the flames driven by gale force winds. While it’s a community full of NYC fire fighters and police officers, many retired, emergency crews were unable to respond adequately to the storm’s fierceness due to downed trees, high winds and storm debris. It’s estimated that 60% of Breezy Point was damaged during Sandy’s assault.

Lynch said the SAC crew drove their ambulance through the streets of Breezy Point, surveying the damage and lending a hand by letting people without power, or even homes, warm up inside the truck or just charge up their phones. The crew also delivered supplies to St. Francis de Sales Parish in Belle Harbor, which Lynch said had a breathtaking supply operation.

“I could only describe it as a war zone,” said Lynch about the crew’s ride into the darkened neighborhoods. “It was life changing and eye opening. We treated patients. We delivered our load of supplies and then drove around looking for where we could help.”

“It looked like someone blew it up,” Crowell said of the community.

“We listened to them and heard their stories,” Lynch said, moved by the various people the crew met on their ride through the neighborhoods, adding that the Sloatsburg SAC crew tried to give the people they met a bit of human contact and comfort.

Lynch’s and Crowell’s description of Breezy Point as a war zone is apt — NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg called pictures of the area “like something seen at the end of WWII.” And on Veterans Day Monday, a unit of the U.S. military actually did land in Breezy Point as the U.S. Navy Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 5 based in California, swarmed through the community to help cleanup.

“I can’t tell you, all the stuff collected — we never expected it,” said longtime SAC member Crowell. She said that the Tender Loving Care Daycare in Suffern was especially important to the effort and worked with the Ambulance Corps to collect goods and get the word out on the relief effort. The daycare children spent time making cards for people hit hard by the storm.

“The kids at the daycare were so excited,” Crowell said, describing how they children ran out to greet the ambulance with cards and supplies.

The UPS store in Mahwah supplied SAC with a supply of boxes and Avon, based in Suffern, provided an endless assortment of toiletries. Throughout last week, leading up to Saturday’s delivery of relief supplies, the Sloatsburg Daisy and Brownies troops stopped by SAC to help sort items. Lynch estimated that the community donated nearly $17,000 worth of supplies for the relief effort.

“It turned into such a huge event,” Lynch said, adding that he was proud and touched by the response of Sloatsburg to events so far from the community.

Due to the increasing frequency of storm activity and related emergency issues, the Sloatsburg Ambulance Corps is evaluating the implementation of a new Disaster Assistance Team that would operate under the SAC’s Special Operations Division. The team would prepare and train for a response future disasters.

“Sloatsburg’s impact was a minor part in a huge disaster, but we made a difference in so many peoples’ lives,” said Lynch. “Our relief efforts and what we did that night will be something we remember for a long time.”

Note: The Sloatsburg Ambulance Corps will continue to take relief donations, though not clothes. An updated list of supplies includes such items as disinfectant, bleach, cleaning wipes, brooms, mops, extension cords, and contractor bags. Call SAC for additional information.

Photos courtesy of the Sloatsburg Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Visit the SAC site here to see additional photos and information on the effort.