05/26/2026
The Broomall Rotary Club was very pleased to honor the Ambulance Person of the Year, Frank Benson, at a recent meeting.
Frank Benson was recognized for his dedicated service as a full-time EMT and lead for the driver training program.
Marple Ambulance responded to a total of 3,326 calls last year, including ,383 Advanced Life Support (ALS) incidents such as heart attacks and strokes.
The organization completed1,272 non-emergency transports for Fair Acres, a critical source of revenue that sustains their operations.
Residential fund drive participation is currently at 29.8%, meaning only about three out of ten households contribute to the subscription program.
A $50 annual household donation functions as a subscription that covers insurance deductibles, potentially saving residents from out-of-pocket bills ranging from $1,600 to $1,700 for emergency calls.
A major financial hurdle is the practice of insurance companies sending reimbursement checks directly to patients rather than to the ambulance corps, which often leads to unpaid services.
To manage high equipment costs, the corps uses "remounting," a process of moving an existing ambulance box to a new chassis for approximately $175,000, which is about half the cost of a new $300,000 vehicle.
The corps is converting an adjacent annex into a new training center to host staff scenarios and community outreach programs, including hands-only CPR and babysitting classes.
The organization's fleet is aging, with a 2015 model vehicle currently exceeding 80,000 miles and scheduled for replacement by the end of the year.
Thank you to Chief Bill Downey for presenting at our meeting and congratulations to Frank Benson for being Ambulance Person of the Year! The Broomall Rotary Club thanks you and all of the volunteers at the Marple Township Ambulance Corp for your service and your dedication to our community.
The Broomall Fire Department and the Marple Township Ambulance Corp are always looking for volunteers to serve in many different capacities in fire and rescue, but also as teachers of CPR, babysitting, and first aid in our community. If you are interested in serving your community, please contact either the Broomall Fire Department or the Marple Ambulance Corp, both in their new locations right across the street from each other on Malin Road.
If you would like to make a difference in your community and your world and feel that the Broomall Rotary Club might be the organization that fits that need, please check out our web site at broomallrotary.com and join us on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 at Charlottes Restaurant in Newtown Square.
Photo: Chief Bill Downey, Kassandra and Frank Benson, Rotarian Jim Bradley, Jr. By: Catherine Nold.
