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DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
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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. |
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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. |
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In 1996, Rescue 1 was
replaced by the new Rescue 1, a 1996 International 4700 Series Type
III ALS rescue (pictured at left). |
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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." |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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.
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Name |
EMT Level |
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Kyle
Newman |
Paramedic |
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Sharon Jenks |
Cardiac |
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James Williams, Jr. |
Cardiac |
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Thomas Fagan |
Cardiac |
| Capt. |
Kevin Stockwell |
Cardiac |
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Richard
Peck, II |
Cardiac |
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Kimberly DeFusco |
Cardiac |
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Thomas
Lindgren |
Cardiac |
| Chief |
John DeFusco |
Cardiac |
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Capt. |
Adam Lee |
Cardiac |
| Lt. |
Alan
Russell, Jr. |
Cardiac |
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Matthew Kerr |
Cardiac |
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Lt. |
Jason
LeMaire |
Cardiac |
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Sandra
Leplat |
Cardiac |
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Lt. |
Edward
Blanchard |
Cardiac |
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Michael
Letoile |
Cardiac |
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Craig
Jennings |
Cardiac |
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Michael Butts |
Basic |
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Kevin
Gustafson |
Basic |
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George
Rua |
Basic |
Recruitment
The EMS Division of
the Pascoag Fire Department is always seeking the membership of any
party interested in joining. No experience is necessary, all
training is done in the field or in classrooms. Anybody with or
without EMS certification or training can find out more about the
Pascoag Fire Department EMS Division by visiting the Main Street Fire
Station, or contacting an EMS officer..
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