`oklahoma' Seeks Production Assistance 
The Little Theatre Of Wilkes-barre Has Openings For Production Crew For Rodger 
And Hammerstein's Musical ``oklahoma!'' Which Will Open The Theater's 74th 
Continuous Season.

Abolitionist Stood Strong In Days Of Slavery

By BRIAN MALINA; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Monday, July 15, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 2A 





EXETER -- A shortage of volunteers could force the Exeter Community
Ambulance Association to close, Ronald Rome, vice president of the
association, said Sunday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rome said that the number of active volunteers has plunged from 25 in the
1980s to 13 in 1996, and that the company currently has no emergency medical
technicians available during the daytime. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "We could make it to the end of the year the way things are going, but we
might not be here next year," Rome said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rome said he is publicizing the association's plight with the hope of
finding new recruits. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rome said he would like to see the association's active volunteer list
return to at least 20 members, but four to six new recruits would be enough to
keep the association alive. At least two volunteers are needed for each call.
The association answers about eight calls per week, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rome said the association might start paying ambulance workers to increase
the number of volunteers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's not going to be a $200 job, just a couple of dollars for their work,"
Rome said, adding that emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and crew members
currently are not paid. He said workers would receive a $7 to $10 stipend for
each call they answer if the association were to decide to pay workers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He did not say when a decision whether to pay volunteers would be made. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rome said Exeter ambulance also is talking with other volunteer
associations about forming a regional group. He said under the regional group,
ambulance workers from outside Exeter would respond to calls in Exeter during
hours when the borough's EMTs are not available. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're talking with representatives of Jenkins Township Ambulance and West
Pittston Community Ambulance about pulling our resources," Rome said, adding
that the talks are only in the preliminary stages. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The association's most pressing need is finding more licensed EMTs. Only
six current volunteers are licensed EMTs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Under Pennsylvania law, at least one Pennsylvania Department of Health
certified EMT must accompany any ambulance that responds to an emergency call,
Rome said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Those interested in volunteering should call the association at 655-3771. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and live in Exeter Borough or a
neighboring community within five miles of the borough. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Volunteers must have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification or
complete CPR training within nine months of filing an application for
association crew membership, Rome said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Shortage Of Volunteers Threatens Exeter Ambulance