Adam Woodruff

OCCUPATION: Chief of the Washington Ambulance Association / Toolmaker
YEARS LIVED IN WASHINGTON, CT: Family here since the 1730s

Taking a quick break from his duties as Chief of the Washington Ambulance Association (WAA), Adam Woodruff was able to chat with us about life in Washington. He talked to us about the great work the Washington Ambulance Association does for the community, as well as his love for his hometown.

Tell us a bit about your family’s history in Washington.

My family has been in Washington since the 1730s. My ancestors were already living in town before it was officially incorporated in 1779. Actually, the town of Washington was formed from pieces of New Milford, Kent, and Woodbury. As you probably can guess, our town was named in honor of General and President George Washington who passed through this area several times during the Revolutionary War. I find it interesting that our town chose Washington as its name because, at the time it was incorporated, Connecticut was technically a British Colony and the Revolutionary War was still going on. You could say our small town was trying to be rebellious and show their support for the Continental Army.

How long have you been living in Washington?

I grew up here and have spent most of my life in this town. I lived in Danbury for a year, but I wound up finding a great place to buy in New Preston after three years of looking for a house.

How did you become involved with the Washington Ambulance Association (WAA)?

I joined WAA so that I could provide more help as a first responder. I joined the Washington Volunteer Fire Department in 2004 after being a junior member while in high school. I finished basic interior firefighting certification in 2005 and became interested in emergency medicine. I became certified as an Emergency Medical Responder following with certification as an EMT in 2006. I was the Captain of WAA from 2010-2015 and then in 2016 I was named the Chief.

As Chief of WAA, I am always on call and available for assistance in any emergency situation. I actually work full-time in Danbury at Stanley Black and Decker, but I am allowed to arrive late and leave early if a serious emergency arises.

Can you tell us a little more about the Washington Ambulance Association?

The Washington’s Ambulance Association is an independent, non-profit ambulance service that was founded in 1942 by Washington’s Lions Club. We’re actually celebrating our 75th Anniversary this year! We are staffed by highly trained and dedicated volunteers. Currently, we have (28) Emergency Medical Technicians and (7) Emergency Medical Responders on our team. In addition to two ambulances, WAA has access to regional paramedics as well as Life Star Aero-Medical Helicopters.

We primarily serve Washington, but we will travel to surrounding towns when requested. Over the years, we have been responding to more and more calls. We average around 350 requests for emergency medical services per year. With the addition of our second ambulance in 2017, we have not only been able to respond to more calls in general, but also we are better equipped to handle simultaneous calls, incidents with multiple patients, and standby events.

Due to generous donations from our community, the WAA is able to operate without charging its patients. We are one of only a handful of Connecticut ambulance services that are able to provide free emergency medical services. Also, we are quite active on social media, as we like to stay connected with our community and be involved with all the events that go on in town.

You sound like quite the busy guy! When you have free time, what do you like to do?

In my free time, you can find me either at the gym or enjoying the outdoors. I enjoy ATV trips as well as spending time out in nature. The natural beauty of our town is incredible and I am a frequent hiker on the trails of the Steep Rock Association.

What are some of your favorite hiking trails?

I really like to walk along the Clamshell section of the Steep Rock Preserve and hike to Waramaug’s Rock in the Macricostas Preserve, which has great panoramic views of Lake Waramaug. Also, the trails of the Hidden Valley Preserve are fun to explore.

In your opinion, what makes Washington so special and a great place to live?

For me, what makes Washington a great place to live has to be the community. The people here are very friendly and caring. We are a very tight knit community where everyone knows each other. This is probably best seen in the community-wide events that we hold throughout the year. There is the Harvest Festival in the fall, Holiday in the Depot in the winter, and outdoor movie nights at Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens in the summer. It is always a good time when the entire Washington community can get together. Also, Washington is in a great and convenient location. The town is very accessible as it is about 20 miles from both Danbury and Torrington as well as about a two-hour drive from New York City and Boston.

“My work at the Washington Ambulance Association has allowed me to give back to a community that has been a part of my family’s identity for generations.”

Adam and the Washington Ambulance Association are quite active on social media. To see what he and the WAA are up to, check out their Facebook and Instagram pages. For more information on WAA, you can visit the Washington Ambulance Association website. Please consider making a donation to this wonderful organization!