Shawn Godfrey, manager of Village Ambulance, is giving up his desk to get back into the field by accepting a post with Southern Berkshire Ambulance.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Shawn Godfrey has seen a lot of changes at Village Ambulance since he arrived 17 years ago.

 

And after helping manage the non-profit for most of that time, Godfrey is making a change of his own: getting out of management and back into the field.

 

"I'm going back to my roots and practicing medicine in the field," Godfrey said on Monday.

 

"It would be tough for me to move back to doing that here."

 

Instead, he has accepted a position at Southern Berkshire Ambulance in Great Barrington.

 

After nearly two decades at VAS — the last four as general manager — Godfrey leaves the service in a strong position, according to the president of the Village's board of directors.

 

"Financially, we're strong, our services have been expanding rapidly, our EMS services have increased considerably and what we call the NEMT, non-emergency medical transport, has been very successful," Win Stuebner said.

 

"If Shawn has to leave, he's leaving us in good shape."

 

Godfrey said he also felt good about the state of the operation.

 

"These projects are now just needing to be fostered and have fresh ideas behind them now," he said. "I feel we're at a level spot right now, and it's a good time. And we have good, strong people in place to take over."

 

Michelle Sawicky will serve as operations manager, and Matthew LaCasse will direct the non-emergency medical transport business while the board re-evaluates its management structure, Stuebner said.

 

He said he expects the board to figure out its plan in the next few months. In the meantime, Stuebner said he would welcome inquiries from potential candidates interested in succeeding Godfrey.

 

It is a tough act to follow.

 

In addition to initiating the NEMT service, which began as a partnership with Williams College, Godfrey has helped oversee a dramatic expansion at Village, which had about 30 employees (full time, part time and per diem) when he arrived and about 55 today.

 

In terms of call volume, the service has gone from about 1,500 ambulance calls per year at the turn of the century to just fewer than 4,000 per year today.

 

And Godfrey also has seen the service's mission expand beyond its core.

 

"Our community outreach programs are amazing," he said. "From our 'Sentimental Voyages' program, which is near and dear to my heart ... to our food and blood drives and many others. We are a very active ambulance service in the community now."

 

Sentimental Voyages offers no-cost ambulance transportation for terminally ill residents to the destination of their choice. Godfrey initiated the program in 2006.

 

Stuebner described Godfrey's departure, effective Oct. 2, as a "collegial parting of the ways." The board of directors understands that this is the right move for Godfrey for personal and professional reasons.

 

"I came in as a field paramedic, I moved to operations manager and then sort of was the de facto general manager for the period just prior to the Millers being dismissed," Godfrey said, referring to couple accused of stealing nearly a quarter million dollars from Village Ambulance. "And then I was the the interim general manager in name and ultimately the general manager."

 

All that has kept Godfrey mostly in the office instead of in the field. And he misses he contact with patients.

 

"My new office is the back of ambulance," Godfrey said with smile.