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DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

In 1986, the Pascoag Fire District purchased its first transporting rescue, a 1982 Ford E-350 rescue vehicle, named Rescue 1 (pictured below left).  Prior to this purchase, fire department members responded to rescue calls in a 1968 Ford vehicle (which was named Rescue 1, became Salvage 2 when the transporting rescue was purchased, and was later named Special Services 46)(pictured below right).  All transports were completed by the Burrillville Ambulance Association until 1990.
In 1990, the department purchased EMS-3 (pictured at right), a 1990 Ford F-350 4X4 transporting rescue.  This vehicle was placed in service in conjunction with Rescue 1, and was used as a backup rescue and for off-road rescues.
	In 1996, Rescue 1 was replaced by the new Rescue 1, a 1996 International 4700 Series Type III ALS rescue (pictured at left).
In 1997, the town of Burrillville adopted a town-wide numbering system for its fire stations and apparatus.  As the Pascoag Fire Station became Station 4, "Rescue 1" became "Rescue 4," and "EMS-3" became "EMS-4."
In 2001, the department retired EMS-4 and purchased Medic 4, a 2001 Ford E-450 Super Duty (pictured below left).  Medic 4 became the new primary rescue, and Rescue 4 was placed in backup/secondary status.
In November 2005, Rescue 4 was replaced by the new Rescue 4, a 2006 Ford E-450 Super Duty, designed by Osage (pictured above right).  The new vehicle is now the department's primary rescue, and Medic 4 is used as a backup and secondary rescue.
The Pascoag Fire District also utilizes three non-transporting EMS vehicles.  Special Hazards 4 is equipped to the BLS level, and Tower 4 and the Chief's vehicle are equipped to the ALS level.

Equipment

In 2004, the department purchased an advanced cardiac monitor designed by Zoll.  This monitor allows trained EMT's to perform 12-lead cardiac monitoring and analysis.  The advantages of having such technology is to help determine which hospital is best suited to meet the needs of the patient analyzed.

The Pascoag Fire Department recently purchased an End Tidal CO2 monitor for the Zoll unit in both rescues. This advanced equipment is utilized to measure the amount of CO2 being expired by patients in respiratory distress to determine the potential cause of the distress. This equipment will prove to be quite beneficial in providing the best care possible to medical patients.

Each rescue also carries an automatic ventilator, for use with tracheotomy patients living in local nursing homes. 

Personnel

The Pascoag Fire Department, like any medical service agency, must have professionally trained personnel in order to provide proper medical care.  The department currently has one EMT trained to the Paramedic level, fifteen EMT's trained to the Cardiac level, one EMT trained to the Defibrillation level, and five EMT's trained to the Basic level, for a total of 20 Emergency Medical Technicians.

The District currently has six full-time paid EMT's that provide EMS coverage to the District on a 24/7 basis.  The paid employees include four EMT-Cardiacs, one EMT-Paramedic, and an EMT-Cardiac/Chief.  The Chief and one Cardiac works Monday through Friday from 7:00AM to 3:00PM, and the remaining EMT's work on a rotating schedule with 24 hours on duty, 24 hours off duty, 24 hours on duty, and five full days off duty.  This means that Rescue 4 is manned by two EMT's on Monday through Friday from 7:00AM to 3:00PM, and by one full time EMT with department volunteers at all other times.  All EMT's currently employed by the Pascoag Fire District are also Pascoag Fire Department volunteer EMT/firefighters.  The Pascoag Fire District has been employing full-time EMT's since November 1990.

Below is a list of all of the current Emergency Medical Technicians of the Pascoag Fire Department.