Print
Share page with AddThis

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division

Ambulance 1

Hopedale Fire Department placed its first ambulance into service in 1999 at the Basic Life Support (BLS) Level to provide emergency medical care and transport to the residents of Hopedale. Over the next decade, a second ambulance was added to our fleet of apparatus.

Currently, we operate two ambulances. Ambulance 1 is a 2010 Ford E-450 Super-Duty, Wheeled Coach ambulance. Ambulance 2 is a 2001 Ford E-450 Super-Duty, Wheeled Coach Ambulance. We currently employ a combination of over 15 career and on-call Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and Paramedics.

On June 30, 2014, we began providing Advance Life Support (ALS) at the Paramedic Level on Ambulance 1 to the residents of Hopedale and surrounding communities. Through creative budgeting, we were able to equip and place Ambulance 2 to the Paramedic level on November 18, 2016.

Basic Life Support ambulances carry an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED), 6 emergency medications, emergency obstetrical splinting and trauma supplies. BLS ambulances are dependent on intercepting with Paramedic level ambulances to provide additional treatment to critical patients.

Advanced Life Support Ambulances carry all BLS equipment as well as a plethora of additional equipment. One of the most notable changes is a cardiac monitor capable of obtaining 4-lead and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) tracings that enable our Paramedics to identify various life threatening dysrhythmias as well as Myocardial Infarctions, also known as “heart attacks”. By identifying cardiac issues in the pre-hospital setting, it enables our Paramedics to bypass local hospitals and transport the patient to specialty hospitals that are able to provide definitive care in a timely manner. Cardiac Monitors are also capable of providing manual and synchronized defibrillation and external pacing. In addition, our Paramedics are trained and equipped to provide intravenous, intraosseous access and several different types of advanced airway devices. ALS Ambulances carry over 40 different medications to treat various emergency conditions ranging from diabetes, overdoses, respiratory distress to nausea and pain control.

Please feel free to contact the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Office with any questions, comments or concerns at (508) 473 - 1050.

Respectfully,

Peter Schrafft
EMS Coordinator
pschrafft@hopedalefire.org