North Adams Transcript
WILLIAMSTOWN -- A long-time employee of Village Ambulance Service has been chosen as the agency’s new general manager.
Shawn Godfrey, who previously served as operations manager, was unanimously named to the post by the ambulance service’s board of directors on Tuesday.
In addition, Pamela Costine, who has been an emergency medical technician with Village since 1994, was unanimously appointed business manager by the board. Both Godfrey and Costine have been filling their respective posts on an interim basis since December 2011.
"As far as we could tell, they were the best candidates in the region for the jobs," Board Member Thomas Bleezarde said Wednesday. The board is confident in Godfrey and Costine’s abilities to fill the positions, he said.
Former General Manager Albert Miller and former Office Manager Cara Miller are no longer with the company, he said. He declined to comment further on the nature of their departure.
Godfrey, who lives in Pittsfield, said Wednesday that he is excited about being named general manager of Village and about taking on the additional responsibilities that come with the post.
"It’s continuing the art but in a different part of emergency medical services. It’s nice to have the opportunity to live out this part of my career as a manager," he said.
Before joining Village in 2001, Godfrey, 41, worked for County Ambulance
He received his EMT training at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y. He is a nationally registered paramedic, and has also served as Village’s training coordinator.
Costine, a resident of Stamford, Vt., said it’s probably the first time in her life she is anxious to get to work when she wakes up in the morning.
"I’ve worked on the trucks and with patients for the past 18 years. It can be extremely difficult at times," she said. "It’s a whole different life when you work the truck on the overnight shift. You learn to go days without proper sleep."
Laughing, she said she now feels like a human being with a routine Monday to Friday schedule.
Costine, 54, who has experience working with accounts payable, patient billing and bookkeeping for Village, received her basic EMT training at the agency in 1993.
Godfrey said one thing Village hopes to do over the short-term is offer more training opportunities for current staff and individuals interested in entering the field of emergency medical services.
"We’re planning to establish a training department within Village, and we will be looking for a director soon," he said.
In addition, the agency would like to eventually expand its fleet from three to four ambulances and possibly pursue a new facility to accommodate the changes taking place in the emergency medical transportation business, he said.
"We continue to strive to be the premier ambulance service in the area, and maybe someday in Western Massachusetts," Godfrey said.
To reach Meghan Foley, email mfoley@thetranscript.com.
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