Ambulance Service of Manchester appeared in a Fox 61 news article and segment this past Monday evening alongside Manchester Fire Rescue EMS. Please see below to read the article and click here view the segment by Reporter Jim Altman.
MANCHESTER – You could say they are taking a page from the
Nascar playbook because the Manchester Fire Department, joined by the Ambulance
Service of Manchester takes a bit of a left turn when it comes to their C-P-R
training.
Officially, Battalion Chief Josh Beaulieu, calls it the “Pit
Crew Model for Cardiac Arrest Management”, but in life-saving circles it’s
known simply as “Pit Crew CPR”. Much like how a racing crew feverishly tends to
a car in the pits, so do Manchester Firefighters when it comes to responding to
a cardiac arrest patient.
“Everybody has a role,” Beaulieu said. “Those roles might be
compressions, it might be the person assigned to deal with the family, it might
be the person managing the airway and breathing for the patient.”
Chief Beaulieu, a 21 year vet of the department, added
that the town of Manchester has been supportive in providing resources when
responding to cardiac arrest calls – as many as ten first responders can answer
a life-saving call. He said, “a cardiac arrest requires a lot of work and a lot
of hands to save someone’s life and that’s exactly what we are doing.”
MANCHESTER- On Wednesday May 1st, 2019 Team ASM-Aetna hosted its third American Red Cross Blood Drive at ASM’s headquarters. Numerous employees, friends, and family members participated in the day-long event. Aetna and ASM have committed to hosting a drive at least twice a year. Thank you to all of the new and returning donors and we look forward to the next event!
A note from Red Cross Account Manager for Donor Recruitment Alissa Haight Aguda:
“ASM smashed it out of the park on Wednesday. To recap our results we had 30 presenting donors, 3 deferrals for a grand total of 27 successful donations. This will ultimately help 91 hospital patients in need of blood plasma and platelets!”
“Thank you so much again for your dedication to the American Red Cross!”
On Saturday April 27th, students from Manchester High School participated in a hands-on extrication and transport exercise as part of their EMT-Basic program. The course, taught by Ambulance Service of Manchester and Manchester Fire Rescue EMS, has 18 committed students, all of whom were able to observe the process of extrication, practice removing victims from a bus and car, and render necessary care on a simulation manikin while in a moving ambulance. The “extrication drill” day is always one of the highlights of an EMT program.
MANCHESTER- On Saturday April 27th, 2019, Ambulance Service of Manchester employees, friends and family members participated in the Town of Manchester’s 27th annual Rebuilding Together Event. This “First-Responder Group” made up only a small portion of volunteers as nearly 1200 individuals registered for the work day. Part of a National non-profit organization, Rebuilding Together was formed with the goal of “bringing communities together in efforts to assist those in need of general home repair and improvements.” This year, ASM teamed up with Manchester Police Department to work on two main projects at different locations.
On Thursday April 25th, 2019 Ambulance Service of Manchester’s Bianca Krzynowek and Andrew Hedburg presented the basics of Emergency Medical Services and gave ambulance tours to local Girl Scout Troop 10646. (Picture approved by Troop Leader).
HARTFORD – As of April 9th, 2019, Aidan Mace has been cleared by Hartford Hospital medical control for independent dispatch as a paramedic to the towns that Aetna serves. Aidan started at Aetna in November of 2018. His preceptor was Paramedic Dan Hope. He offered the following sentiment:
“I recently finished up my paramedic program at Capital Community College. I started as an EMT with AMR, worked at Glastonbury EMS, and am very excited that I’m a part of the Aetna Team since November. The environment at Aetna is very conducive to someone who wants to learn as much as possible. My preceptor, Dan Hope is a wealth of knowledge and I was fortunate enough to see a variety of situations with each of them during my weeks of precepting.”
As with all precepting phases at Aetna, Aidan’s final approval came from Hartford Hospital after shadowing him and his preceptor in the field as they responded to emergency calls. On behalf of the Aetna Family, we would like to wish Aidan the best of luck and say we are very proud to have such skilled professionals on staff.
MANCHESTER- On Monday April 22nd, Ambulance Service of Manchester EMTs Esther Gibbs and Mikhail Udin fielded EMS related questions from 10 enthusiastic Cub Scouts (Troop 140) at Concordia Church. Manchester Police Department and Manchester Fire Rescue EMS attended the event as well.
Arbors of Hop Brook in Manchester hosted the “Wellness Services Showcase” this past Wednesday. Chelsea Heitman and Drew Hedburg stepped up and fielded questions from residents and local seniors. Over 25 organizations took part in this years’ event which focused on educating the community on services that are available locally.
SOUTH WINDSOR- On Saturday April 13th, 2019 Ambulance Service of Manchester’s Karisa Welch and Peter Chusid provided support during the “MAX challenge” 5K and Vendor Fair. The event was organized by the Town of South Windsor in an effort to raise money and awareness for the Healthy Habits Initiative.
HARTFORD — On April 1st, 2019, two Paramedics and three EMTs and were added to the Aetna team. As part of our continued growth, Aetna and ASM seek out only the best candidates. We look for employees who are focused on high-quality patient care, are team oriented and conduct themselves in a professional manner. During the orientation, employees learn about company philosophy and goals, quality assurance, and policies and procedures.
From left to right, Nicole Valente, Anthony Fazzino, Shelma Morales, Tyler Driscoll, and Frank Duncan.
Frank Duncan: FULL TIME, EMT. Hello, I’m Frank Duncan. After graduating from UConn in 2015, I spent a few years working as an Office Paraprofessional at WH Public Schools. I also had a passion for firefighting so I became a volunteer with the Town of Farmington where I gained my EMT-B certification. My goals are to expand my EMS experience while strengthening my skills as an EMT. I hope to attend paramedic school in the future as I work to become a career firefighter. I look forward to joining the Aetna team and I’m very excited for the opportunity ahead!
Nicole Valente: FULL TIME, PARAMEDIC. Hi, my name is Nicole. I just turned 30 and was born/raised in the south end of Hartford. I went to high school in Wethersfield and currently reside in Newington. I began my healthcare career as a volunteer EMT in Newington in 2012 and the ER at Windham Hospital as a tech while finishing my bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences at UConn (2016). I transferred to Hartford Hospital on the Cardiothoracic Surgery/LVAD floor (Bliss 9E) as a PCA in addition to working per diem as an EMT for AMR’s Hartford Division. I recently graduated from the Hartford Hospital (CESI) Paramedic Program. I am considering a future career in medicine as a Physician Assistant. For fun, I love to hike in the White Mountains and am always on a quest to find the hottest cuisine/chili peppers known to man. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve the community I grew up in as a Paramedic. I am honored to join the team at Aetna and to continue my relationship with Hartford Hospital.
Shelma Morales: FULLTIME, EMT. I enjoy watching horror movies, listening to music and being outdoors. I love to play sports, especially baseball and volleyball. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, currently live in New Britain. Lastly, I am a first generation college student and aspire to become a PA in the oncology/hematology specialty.
Anthony Fazzino. FULL TIME, PARAMEDIC. I am a proud graduate of Hartford Hospital’s Paramedic Program and excited to begin my career in EMS. I recently moved back to Connecticut after living in Hawaii for 4 years. My goal is to continue my education in order to earn my Bachelor’s degree. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and scuba diving. I look forward to being a part of Aetna Ambulance as I continue to improve as a paramedic.
Tyler Driscoll: FULL TIME, EMT. My name is Tyler Driscoll. I am from South Windsor and currently reside in Manchester. I have been working as an EMT in East Windsor for 5 years now, and I am excited to learn the Aetna ways and grow as an EMT. I look forward to working alongside some of the best providers in the area! Stay safe out there!
MANCHESTER- In early April, Ambulance Service of Manchester participated in the first annual Honor Wellness “Touch a Truck” event at Raymour & Flanigan. Honor Wellness provides counseling services for local first responders, corrections officers and military personnel.
MANCHESTER – As of March 29th 2019, ASM’s Michael Santiana has been cleared by Eastern Connecticut Health Network medical control for independent dispatch as a paramedic to the towns that ASM serves. Michael was hired at the Ambulance Service of Manchester in December 2017. He offered the following sentiment:
“I have been at ASM for a little over a year and am truly thrilled to advance towards the next chapter in my EMS career. I am eternally grateful for all the time both Tim Lachappelle and Bob O’Neil dedicated toward molding me into an advanced level provider. Their differing styles of practicing medicine helped me develop my own techniques as well as the ever-important ability to think critically while on scene. I’m excited to apply their teachings related to emergencies and high acuity transfers when I encounter them on my solo shifts. My precepting experience has been incredibly informative and I am excited that I am now cleared for independent dispatch.”
As with all precepting phases at ASM, Michael’s final approval came from Eastern Connecticut Health Network after shadowing him and his preceptors in the field as they responded to emergency calls. On behalf of the ASM Family, we would like to wish Michael the best of luck and say we are very proud to have such skilled professionals on staff.
MANCHESTER- On Thursday March 28th, 2019 the Ambulance Service of Manchester participated in Manchester Health Department’s Senior Health Fair. Over 40 organizations took part in this event offering services and demonstrations to hundreds of seniors within the community. ASM’s Sean Gregg and Matthew Kleza spent the afternoon fielding questions and interacting with participants like long time Senior Center Volunteer Earl Parent, featured in the picture above.
MANCHESTER- On March 28th, 2019 Ambulance Service of Manchester EMTs Themalina Nisyrios and Philip Zetterstrom attended Manchester High Schools Spring Career Fair. The team fielded questions related to job opportunities in the EMS field while interacting with students and staff. This year’s event was attended by over 30 local agencies and businesses.
MANCHESTER- In another joint effort with Manchester Fire-Rescue-EMS, Ambulance Service of Manchester has teamed up with the Board of Education to coordinate a free EMT class at the high school. ASM Education Supervisor, Melissa Osborne acts as the lead instructor with assistance from FD personnel. Following successful completion of the program, students involved will be eligible for certification at the EMT-Basic level. As part of the course syllabus, Melissa has organized a visit to Ambulance Service of Manchester’s Headquarters. There, the students will put their classroom knowledge to the test by utilizing ASM’s state of the art training facility. To read more about the MHS EMT Pilot Program, click here for a recent article by Journal Inquirer Reporter Emily Brindley.
Photo courtesy of Journal Inquirer
In addition to the pilot, ASM partnered with Manchester High School’s Allied Health Program in 2017, providing 20+ students with “ride-along” shadowing opportunities. This program is on-going and provides all MHS students, even those not formally enrolled in an EMT program a chance to gain real world EMS experience.
