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Longtime Red Cross vol/EMS director honored for work

JULIE LANE PHOTO | Sept. 15 will forever be Joy Bausman Day on Shelter Island.
JULIE LANE PHOTO | Dec. 15 will forever be Joy Bausman Day on Shelter Island.

Dec. 15 will forever be Joy Bausman Day on Shelter Island.

So declared the Shelter Island Town Board, which Friday decided to to honor the woman who has given most of her life to the Shelter Island Ambulance Corps, which for years was operated by the American Red Cross before being turned over to the town in 2011.

In June, Ms. Bausman stepped aside after 37 years of serving as volunteer director of the corps with the Red Cross, relinquishing that role to Mary Wilson, who has 25 years of experience with the Red Cross here.

And this month, Ms. Bausman is coordinating the transfer of Emergency Medical Services director responsibilities to Police Detective Sergeant Jack Thilberg, who will be paid for his work as director.

Ms. Bausman is credited for overseeing the smooth transition of the ambulance corps to the town.

She also laid the groundwork for the Length of Service Award Program, which established a retirement package for EMS workers, similar to the program that serves town firefighters.

It’s a program critical to maintaining the local volunteer corps, but a program from which Ms. Bausman won’t benefit.

Nonetheless, she lobbied hard and 92 percent of those who voted in a town referendum in August 2012 approved the establishment of LOSAP.

In a proclamation read by Supervisor Jim Dougherty on Friday, he called Ms. Bausman “an exemplary volunteer for our town.”

“We can’t thank you enough; you’ve been above and beyond,” he said.

Ms. Bausman has  praised the choice of Mr. Thilberg, who has long functioned as her assistant, saying little effort would be involved this month in preparing him to take over the reins as of January 1.

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