Category Archives: ASM Appearance in the Media or Press

ASM Responds: Worker burned after explosion at Connecticut Natural Gas

Posted on by
Reply

WFSB.com

WFSB 3 Connecticut

By Joseph Wenzel IV, News Editor

EAST HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) –Connecticut Natural Gas employees were evacuated after a small explosion and fire was reported near the building in East Hartford on Wednesday afternoon.

The small explosion was reported in an outbuilding on Meadow Street, which is used to fill natural gas trucks around 12:30 p.m. The building is in a parking lot and away from other buildings.

The fire chief said a mechanic was filling a truck when a compressor exploded and created a small fire along with the explosion. The worker’s hands and head were burned and the explosion caused the panels of the building to partly pop off.

“It sounded like a dumpster and then all the emergency crews showed up,” said Lucie Wilson of East Hartford.

Sources told Eyewitness News that the explosion shook the building.

The outbuilding holds three gas tanks, all used to fuel the company’s natural gas powered vehicles.

“That system has been in place … CNG uses natural power gas and this is the first time we’ve ever run across an incident like this,” Fire Chief John Oates said.

Read more: http://www.wfsb.com/story/27365691/worker-burned-after-explosion-at-connecticut-natural-gas#ixzz3ItI5Bbtv

Born Rolling Down I-84

Posted on by
Reply

Reunited two months after Kyra Deschene's birth on I-84, (l-r) Jamie and Andy Deschene, ASM paramedic supervisor Beth Sheils, holding Kyra, and ASM emergency medical technician Julie Bissell. (Jesse Leavenworth/The Hartford Courant)

Reunited two months after Kyra Deschene’s birth on I-84, (l-r) Jamie and Andy Deschene, ASM paramedic supervisor Beth Sheils, holding Kyra, and ASM emergency medical technician Julie Bissell. (Jesse Leavenworth/The Hartford Courant)

By Jesse Leavenworth

HARTFORD COURANT

MANCHESTER — Andy and Jamie Deschene had to make a quick decision on the night of Sept. 5.

Pregnant with her second child, but not due to deliver until Nov. 9, Jamie Deschene, 30, was having labor contractions when she called Andy at work and told him to hurry home. A doctor at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford told the couple that if they could make it to the hospital from their Bolton home in 20 minutes, they could drive. If not, the physician advised, call an ambulance.

Jamie’s water had not broken, and the Deschenes decided to drive. Her water broke on I-384 near the Spencer Street exit.

Soon after, the infant’s feet emerged, and the couple were faced with a potentially dangerous breach birth in their car. Andy pulled off on Exit 56 of I-84 and called 911. The off-ramp was soon bustling with state troopers, East Hartford firefighters and medics from Ambulance Service of Manchester.

Pregnant herself, ASM emergency medical technician Julie Bissell had answered four or five maternity calls within the past month. Each patient’s due date was closer than the one before, Bissell said. On the last call before the Deschenes’ emergency, the woman’s water broke on the ambulance stretcher.

Andy Deschene made his 911 call at 7:42 p.m. Within minutes, East Hartford firefighter/paramedic Tamarah Collins and firefighter Judith Geier joined Bissell and ASM paramedic supervisor Beth Sheils at the scene. They secured Jamie Deschene for transport and headed to Hartford. Read the rest of the story here…

Historical Photos: Ambulance Service of Manchester #12

Posted on by
1

MANCHESTER — Year unknown, likely early 1960’s. Pictured is Manchester Ambulance or possibly precursor at the scene of a ‘wreck’ in Manchester. Can you identify the street? Roger Talbot appears to be in front of the police officer.

Click on picture to enlarge. 

Manchester Ambulance

 

 

 

 

Photo credit Kenneth Burkamp.

 

ASM in Motorcade and on Standby During Vice Presidential Visit

Posted on by
Reply

EAST HARTFORD — On August 20, 2014, two crews from ASM assisted with Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Connecticut by being part of the motorcade and standing by at Goodwin College in East Hartford. Pictures are attached, care of Dan Hammett and Jason Bak. A special thanks to East Hartford Fire Department for their partnership.

Historical Photos: Ambulance Service of Manchester #11

Posted on by
2

MANCHESTER — Year unknown, likely late 1970′s to mid 1980’s. Pictured is Roger Talbot, Manchester Ambulance’s patriarch, wearing a Metro jacket at what appears to be a company party. Can you identify the other two behind the bagels? Post to comments if you can. 

ASM Historical 19

ASM Responds: LifeStar Called To Serious Crash On I-84 In Tolland; Highway Shut Down

Posted on by
Reply
Photo credit: @TollandAlert

Photo credit: @TollandAlert

By KELLY GLISTA and CHRISTINE DEMPSEY

The Hartford Courant

10:34 a.m. EDT, July 10, 2014

TOLLAND — LifeStar helicopters and several emergency crews were called to the scene of a serious crash on the eastbound side on I-84 Thursday morning, according to officials.

State police said the single-vehicle accident happened near exit 68. The eastbound side of I-84 remains closed as police investigate the crash, but the westbound lanes have been partially reopened.

The crash was reported about 8:40 a.m., Assistant Fire Chief Douglas Racicot said. The car was down an embankment, in the woods, and there were four victims, three of whom were reported to have been ejected from the vehicle, he said.

As of about 10:15 a.m., two patients were in critical condition, one was in serious condition and a fourth was being evaluated for less serious injuries at an area hospital.

The car was about 50 feet into the woods and plunged down a 40 foot drop, Racicot said.

Numerous police and fire officials responded to the scene as well as about seven ambulances. Both of the medical helicopters available in Connecticut were initially called to the scene and emergency crews requested a third out of Massachusetts.

Three paramedic ambulances were dispatched to the scene by the Ambulance Service of Manchester, a spokesman said.

Read the full Courant article here…

Paralyzed Man Gets Surprise Lift To Son’s Graduation

Posted on by
Reply

Read the original Fox CT story here…

LOUISA MOLLER — Fox CT

A paralyzed Connecticut man was given a special gift Monday by a generous ambulance company. Frank Foster was transported from New Britain to Danbury by the Ambulance Service of Manchester to see his only son graduate from Bethel High School.

“None of us expected this. If it wasn’t for my friends at the ambulance company, it wouldn’t have happened,” Foster said.

Foster has spent most of his time in hospitals since a devastating incident a few years ago. He suffered from an aortic aneurism resulting in a spinal cord injury.

“I was in my living room and all the sudden, I dropped to the floor. Luckily my phone was next to me,” Foster said.

He had discussed his son Paul’s graduation with ASM employees but did not learn that the company was transporting him, free of charge, until a few months later.

“Surprise is an understatement,” Foster said. Read more from Fox 61 here…

Hospital-Bound Dad Gets to See Son’s High School Graduation

Posted on by
Reply

Thanks so much to Hospital for Special Care and to everyone who was able to make this happen. A special thanks to Rachel Buechele and Matt Tuttle who worked with the patient to come up with the idea .

Additional media coverage of the above story can be found here:

Hospital-Bound Dad Gets to See Son’s High School Graduation – NBC Connecticut

Bedridden Bethel father able to see son graduate – WFSB

WFSB 3 Connecticut

Bethel father gets ambulance ride to son’s graduation – News Times of Danbury

Patient information was used with express, written permission.

Manchester Man Charged With Hit And Run After School Bus Accident

Posted on by
Reply
hc-manchester-evading-charge-0604-20140603-001

Four children were on board this school bus when it was hit in the rear by a driver who fled the scene at Main and Center streets, police said. Officers later arrested a suspect. No one was seriously hurt. (Jesse Leavenworth/The Hartford Courant / June 3, 2014)

8:02 p.m. EDT, June 3, 2014

MANCHESTER — After ramming his car into the rear of a school bus Tuesday evening, a local man drove away and then tried to lie about the accident, police said.

No one was seriously hurt.

Allan Perry, 27, of Oak Street, was charged with various motor vehicle violations, including evading responsibility. Perry, who was not hurt, was being held Tuesday night at the police station, Lt. David Ellsworth said.

The accident happened at about 4:55 p.m. at Main and Center streets. The driver of a 2010 Chevrolet Impala hit the rear end of a school bus carrying eight children, ages 10-14, Ellsworth said. The children complained of bumped heads and headaches, but none required hospitalization, he said.

Read the full article here…

Historical Photos: Ambulance Service of Manchester #10

Posted on by
Reply

MANCHESTER — Year unknown, likely mid 1960′s. Pictured is a victim of a motor vehicle accident victim attended to by Roger Talbot, Manchester Ambulance’s patriarch. Note the Manchester Police officer, the concerned  well-dressed bystanders and Roger in the foreground. Photo credit and thanks to Kenneth Burkamp as noted in the watermark.

ASM Historical 7A

Aetna, ASM, State Police Toy Drive Pictures for 2013

Posted on by
Reply

WEST HARTFORD — Attached are pictures from the Connecticut State Police ‘Stuff a Cruiser’ Toy Drive for 2013 which is a team effort with Aetna Ambulance and the Ambulance Service of Manchester.

The Toy Drive took place December 19-22 at Toys R Us locations in Manchester, Newington and West Hartford and brings in cash donations and toys for children treated at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center locations throughout the year. Photo credit to David Tedeschi.

Emergency Of Hunger Food Drive Starts In Four Towns

Posted on by
Reply

By JESSE LEAVENWORTH

The Hartford Courant

3:37 p.m. EST, November 15, 2013

Read the Courant version here…

Food Drive 2013

MANCHESTER — Emergency responders and Rotary Club members launched a regional drive Friday to collect food and other donations for needy people.

This is the fifth year of the Emergency of Hunger Food Drive. Representatives of police, fire and ambulance agencies, Rotary Club members and pantry managers from Manchester, South Windsor and Vernon gathered Friday at Manchester Area Conference of Churches Charities to kick off the drive.

Volunteers in those towns, Enfield and Windsor collect food and monetary donations at area supermarkets. In the past five years, the drive has gathered about 108,000 food and personal care items, 4,100 turkeys and more than $75,000 in cash, checks and gift cards, organizers said.

All collections are to be held at Stop & Shop supermarkets, except one at Geissler’s Supermarket in South Windsor. Dates and times for the collections are:

Manchester — Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 23 and 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 286 Broad St.

Enfield — Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 54 Hazard Ave.

Rockville — Nov. 23 and 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 50 Windsorville Road

Vernon — Nov. 23 and 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 10 Pitkin Road

South Windsor — Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.at the Stop & Shop at 1739 Ellington Road and on the same days and times at Geissler’s Supermarket, 965 Sullivan Ave.

Windsor held its collection earlier this month, organizers said.

All food and donations go to food banks in the towns where they are donated, organizers said.

“In other words, everything stays local so that neighbors are helping neighbors,” organizer David Skoczulek of Ambulance Service of Manchester wrote in a news release.

ASM Responds: Crash involving school bus reported in East Hartford

Posted on by
Reply
Photo courtesy of WSFSB

Photo courtesy of WFSB

By Steven Yablonski, Managing Editor – WFSB

 EAST HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) –

(Read the original WFSB article here) A crash involving a school bus was reported in East Hartford on Wednesday morning.

Few details about the crash have been reported, but officials said the crash was reported along Forbes Street before 8:30 a.m.

Officials with the Ambulance Service of Manchester said it sent four ambulances to the scene, and brought eight people to local hospitals.

ASM officials said six were brought to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, one was brought to St. Francis Hospital and another to Manchester Memorial Hospital.

All injuries were described as “minor”. No other information was released by officials.