Testimonials
I trained as a dispatcher in 1973, then worked my way up through Attendant, then Crew Chief, then Training Officer. Five Quad was (and still is!) not only an important service to the student community, but also a tremendous venue for learning responsibility, and making lasting friendships. I often described Five Quad as a coed fraternity. Thank you, Barry (and Marc, Janie, and Bob)
-Jane Kelly
Starting late 1973 as a freshman, I trained in advanced first aid and then the EMT course sponsored by 5-Quad. From there was an attendent, driver and 2nd reponse person till I graduated in 1977. But from there I remained an EMT for decades thru my academic career, becoming a volunteer paramedic while faculty in Pittsburgh. All this because of the influence and sense of service from the founders of 5-quad. Now as an BC EM physician and BC EMS physician decades later still invovled with EMS. 5Quad has been a great entry into EMS, medicine and service to the community for all these decades.
-Marc Rosenthal
"Like Deborah Glazer mentioned below, I also joined 5-Quad as a freshman...in 1973... whew, time flies. I was in the first dispatcher training class and the first aid class offered that year. By the time 4 years went by, I was an EMT, Red Cross First Aid Instructor, and Red Cross CPR Instructor Trainer. I remember as a senior being something we called back then "Chief of the Day"... I believe Deb was one also. Those four years were some of the best years ever......"
-Rick Stanton
I was trained as a dispatcher my 1st semester in the fall of 1973 and then signed up to take the MET class
-Rick Stanton
I met my wife at 5Q, too--Debbie Ackley. We're divorced now but still friends. She became a well-respected family physician in NH. One particularly romantic moment--when I was teaching her to drive the ambulance, she accidentally slammed the big back door of the Caddy on my hand.
We used to do the practical portion of Advanced First Aid and EMT classes in the tiny rooms in the Psych department that they used for testing. The poor people who served as mock victims spent all day in a stuffy, hot, windowless room covered in fake blood and prosthetics, manhandled by sometimes clumsy students. The Psych Department finally told us to take a hike, probably because the fake blood permanently stained the floor.
- Charlie Glazer
(In response to Charlie)
Today at U.S. Army TATRC I'm working with researchers who have nearly perfected moulage using synthetic tattoos and also employ medical modeling and simulation using both physical anatomical models and computers, as well as full virtual worlds for training.
May I add that in addition to the time spent in the Psych Department helping to train future Five-Quaders, I was a Psych major, spending many hours in those same classrooms, learning Theories of Learning (which did not help me Learn Theories of Learning), Theories of Motivation; Theories of Abnormal Behavior, and the hardest of all, Theories of Perception!.
- Robert Connors
“Hi Amanda, I saw your Five Quad post and would be happy to put you in touch with other Five Quaders who were there from the beginning. In addition, you really should talk to my good friend Barry Bashkoff. If you are at all familiar with the start of Five Quad, you will know that it was his drive and determination that led to what is now a premiere EMS student-run organization. There were others that helped barry in 1972, but we became a real campus ambulance squad in the Fall of 73. I was in the first official first aid and then EMT class in 1973, when I was a freshman at SUNY. I was the dispatcher on Call #1 and in the course of my four years at Albany, I was a crew member, crew chief and training officer. I am still in the medical field today and am always thrilled to see Five Quad alumni among applicants to my program. I am now a clinical asst. professor of PA education at Stony Brook. I'm sure you will get a big response to your FB posting, but I am happy to chat about those early days when you have time”
- Rich Thailer
“I also met my husband at five quad, and we are still in touch with several of the people that Bob named up above. I remember as a freshman having to walk to Stuyvesant Plaza to get the blue button-down workshirt that was our uniform. Tim Cook Offered to accompany me on the walk, and that just thrilled me to no end.
I remember those mock disaster drills, both as a patient dressed up with all kinds of fun blood and guts, and as the student trying to properly diagnose the fake patient.
When we were in the basement of ...was it State?...the office was across from 2 girls who befriended everyone. I’m still friends with one of them today. Dale and Linda, for those who remember.
When I first saw the sign for 5-Quad, I almost didn’t go to the welcome meeting. But then I thought...you don’t know what lies ahead. So I went. Made lifelong friendships and found a husband
David Chafetz was president for awhile. He rode the ambulance when Jeff Cohen was the victim of a hit and run on the road around campus. Dave came to my dorm to tell me the news.
I also remember a dance in the basement of one of the dorm buildings. Dave Chafetz and I did some funny dance where we touched index fingers and danced
I don’t think we can let this thread continue without mentioning Katie Boss, daughter of two Five-Quaders during their tenure there - Jerry Boss and Val Curtis. We would all pitch in and babysit her when Jerry or Val were in the office and went down to eat in the cafeteria.”
- Amy Cohen (Phillips)
I was Director of Operations and President from 1989 to 1991. It was an honor and privilege to serve with so many amazing people who have gone on to do so many amazing things, many of which are in EMS and healthcare. Five Quad was such an amazing experience for us all. Our group is the pic that is on the website for "Five Quad Family Day". We have unfortunately lost a number of our members already from our time (John Lewis, Marcia Collins, Beth Furman, and Melanie Barish (Frankel). They were all taken from us too soon. Congratulations to everyone who has made Five Quad what it is. We are all stewards of the organization when it is in our hands, and 50 years is a testament to the dedication that has been given by so many for so long. Still have my jacket!! Was going to wear it...and it still fits!
-James Rifino
[Dan Mehr and Sunjay Verma]
“How about the time two 5 Quaders became doctors and met up ? 22 years later to run the Walt Disney wine and Dine Half marathon November 2017 😉 👍 🙌 Robbie Zeus!”
- Brenda Krygowski
“I was a member of Five Quad during my two years at UAlbany (1973-1975). I grew up in Brooklyn and was not familiar with the volunteer ambulance or fire service. When I took first aid and then EMT training it was a great opportunity to learn about emergency medical services and it was a time of great improvements in the field. We had a 1960 Cadillac ambulance and then acquired a 1970 Cadillac which was a very impressive vehicle (of course it was 1973 so it did not seem as old as it sounds now!) I was very impressed with the people I met in Five Quad and I recognized right away how seriously they took their responsibilities.
After a while I was a crew chief and had a great crew. We responded to a variety of emergencies and we interacted well with students, medical staff and the University PD. I think we provided a critical service and I am sure you still do. After graduation I went on to become a police officer and the first aid skills and emergency management skills I learned at Five Quad were always valuable.”
- Rich O’Donnell
“I have many wonderful thoughts about Five Quad. I was admitted as a Freshman in 1974 to SUNY Albany and somehow found Five Quad. My first year was spent largely earning my NYS EMT credential under the tutelage of Marc Stern and Janie....?...... <”The "Janie" Bob refers to was Janie Reich.”-Charlie Glazer> and subsequently I became a Red Cross Advanced First Aid instructor.
In those days we ran with a drive who had to have at least Red Cross Advanced First Aid, and there was always an EMT in the back. I can recall membership was about 100 persons at that time. The monthly meetings were well attended. Don Swisher and I used to attend and sit in the back of the room smoking Amphora pipe tobacco until Mary Corrigan told us to put the pipes out.
Eventually I took driver training, which was a mistake, considering I did not have much experience driving even a regular car, and I never owned my own car until I was 25! Unfortunately, I misjudged a turn in the curved underground entrance at St. Peter's Hospital, and caved in the side Ambulance #2, the backup ambulance. I felt really bad. So I ran for office next year and was elected VP, and raised $10K which I turned over to Bob Elling and Bob Davis, and they bought a new ambulance.
By my second year I was a crew chief. I can recall running calls with Antonio Scapattici, Susan Smedes, Marc Sleven, Judy ? (from Buffalo) <”Judy's last name was Stone, I think--we called her JSOB--Judy Stone of Buffalo.” -Charlie Glazer>, Charlie Glazer, Charles W. Engelbrecht, Mary Lou Meehan, Mary Corrigan, Jean Buzz Rosenthal, Amy Phillips, Jeff Cohen, Linda Rudolph, Rick Stanton, Jeremy Boss, Ann Lapinski, Jane Kelly, Bob Elling, Diane Sweethart, Lynn Burgess, Don Swisher, David Chafetz, and many others.
Many of our calls were, unfortunately, alcohol-related. on weekends. We once probably saved the life of one of my own suite-mates in Indian Quad, who drank 17 sloe-gin fizzes. Not recommended. We responded to many sports injuries including broken bones and back injuries. I can recall one call to the gym where an individual broke his neck in an indoor hockey game.
I believe we were running about 500 calls per year. We operated out of a dorm which I think was in State Quad. We also operated under the semi-control of Dr. Janet Hood, who was the Director of the Student Infirmary. But when Mary Corrigan was President, and I was VP, and when Bob Elling was Director of Operations (1975-1976?), we reported to Robert Squatriglia, who was an Associate Dean for Student Affairs under Dean Neal Brown. Anyway, Five Quad was instrumental to my choosing healthcare administration as a career.
Additional thought: Paris Costanzos and I driving from Albany to Oswego to attend a college volunteer ambulance summit. Paris had a 60s VW with no heater, and I almost froze to death. This VW also had such a bad oil leak that we had to stop every 50 miles and add a quart of oil. The oil was spraying out the back of the VW bug and coated the rear window! So Paris Costanzos eventually joined the USAF when he graduated, and I joined the Navy after grad school. Believe it or not, about 40 years later, Paris was working in my old job at Naval Medical Information Management Center. Small world.
Bottom Line: Five Quad transformed me from a shy freshman to a leader with good confidence; well-prepared for my graduate studies in Healthcare Administration, and eventual commission in the U.S. Navy Medical Service Corps
We also provided support to many concerts at SPAC
P.S. the ambulances in the 70s were Cadillacs... very hard to work in..."
-Robert Connors
Thank you [Barry Bashkoff] for your perseverance getting 5Q off the ground. It certainly helped shape my college experience as it did many others.
-Seth Gordon (Class of 98')
Has it really been 40 years? Astounding! I joined Five Quad as a freshman. I had already taken EMT in high school. At that time, you took first aid and advanced first aid first and then EMT. I was the last group to be able to take it at age 17 in New York state, and I took it with my mom who was an ER nurse. I believe I was the attendant on the first completed ambulance call. My name was Deborah Ackley.
-Deborah Glazer
So happy to see Dean Neal Brown tonight. Was a great mentor to me and helped me start my career with a job at the Student Health Service in 1984. I learned how to use this new piece of technology - the IBM PC.
-Stuart Rubinstein
My family started there too! I was a member from 1974-1978. I met my husband, Louis Medved, there when I called him up from a long list of people to fill one of my attendant shifts. He agreed to take the shift, but then cancelled out the day before to go skiing...lol. He felt badly and sought me out, in person, to apologize. The 5-Quad annual dinner on April 29, 1978 was our first date! We'll be married 35 years in August and have two grown kids
-Jill Behr Medved
“Dear 5 Quad-
On Nov 16th I was on campus tending to my son- a student- who was dealing with a broken ankle. Unfortunately I took a misstep and fell and sprained my ankle. Max [Weinstein] and his crew that day were just awesome. I wanted to express my appreciation for their care and getting me to the ER at Albany Med. As a former alum of Albany- it’s great to see such terrific students. “
Thank you,
-?? ‘83
![“Dear 5 Quad- On Nov 16th I was on campus tending to my son- a student- who was dealing with a broken ankle. Unfortunately I took a misstep and fell and sprained my ankle. Max [Weinstein] and his crew that day were just awesome. I wanted to express my appreciation for their care and getting me to the ER at Albany Med. As a former alum of Albany- it’s great to see such terrific students. “ Thank you, -Redacted- ‘83](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0MwhFEfO5OS8AWc8pKVXmpGOTx1nHY8raL_A_-AD31kc0abbsvBIs6PgX1Yr1nWEDdrwLOACxBqw9X_gkKhZEt5NI4dE6aVNioAFay1et1Wc_xsop9bvLBnOgvuANbEdSg=w1280)
[Photo of handwritten thank you card, shared by Nicole Liotta]
Here's a story from the good old days. I was crew chief and Matt Staccone was driver on an urgent call in maybe 1976 when roads were blocked for some reason and Matt wanted to take a short cut over the grass on campus. I OK'd the short cut, but then realized Matt was headed, rather speedily, straight for some foliage. I cried "Matt, watch out for the trees!" He replied "That's OK - they're alive. They'll move out of the way."
-Jane Kelly
In response:
One time I was on a call downtown--we were covering some kind of demonstration at the capitol--and Matt was driving. Traffic was at a complete standstill in both directions. No problem. He nosed down the center line of a narrow two-lane road, working his away around traffic on either side of him with inches, maybe, to spare. One of the most remarkable things I've ever seen.
-Charlie Glazer
I remember covering that demonstration.... and was in a group of students that entered the capital building itself... Students all over the big staircase inside. I believe it was a protest against raising SUNY/CUNY tuition.
-Rick Stanton
Right you are. Quite a scene. There were a bunch of us there.
-Charlie Glazer
"Five Quad reunion at West Point!"
[Zachary Morganstein, Nat Tedesco, Nixon Mercado]
"Quaders making the small world a better place"
[Jeremy Lherisson, Jasmine Joy Fordan]
"Five quad is slowly taking over the NYPD"
[Anthony Varone, Andrew Rullo]
In 1974 during my freshman year.I met my husband Scott while working on the ambulance service.
We were introduced by Bob Davis who was teaching our first aid course and a good friend of mine.
-Elissa Dube Gellis
Interview with Alexandra Balan
04.08.2016 Alexandra Balan Interview.pdfMarch 3, 2023: Robert Connors Speech at FQVAS 50th Anniversary Gala
03.2023-Connors-FiveQuadAnniversarySpeech.pdfAs Sean Beck (President), Michael Bratslavsky (Vice President), and I receive a phone a call from Marc Stern and Jane Reich approximately at 12pm to the Five Quad Station, to graciously remind us that as of 8am this morning “Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Service” has officially completed its 50 years of being in service to the University at Albany and its surrounding community. They have called to express their gratitude and thanks to the current membership of FQVAS, as well as the predecessor.
I would also like to personally “Thank Everyone” for their contribution, time, and effort to this amazing agency. This is truly a group effort, and I would not be able to sit here and write this message as I organize stations for MIT-training, if it wasn’t for the ones who came before.
So again, I thank each and every one of you for your service. From the current membership of 2023 to the membership of 1973, may we all give ourselves a round of applause. For the ones that are not here to celebrate with us, may we take a moment of silence to Thank them as well. Remember not all heroes wear capes! Congratulation to 50 years!!!
With Gratitude,
-Makhi N Jackson (Lt./NMT)