Category Archives: Company Philosophy and Thought Leadership

‘Emergency of Hunger’ Food Drive to Continue this Weekend

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Gallery includes pictures from last weekend. 

MANCHESTER — The demand on local food assistance programs continues to increase for a number of reasons. This makes efforts like the Emergency of Hunger Food Drive at the Stop and Shop Supermarkets in the area THIS WEEKEND even more important.

  • Manchester:      286 Broad Street. November 16, 17, 23 and 24. 900a-500p.
  • Rockville:          50 Windsorville Road. November 23 and 24. 900a-400p.
  • Vernon:             10 Pitkin Road. November 23 and 24. 900a-400p.

The Manchester Food Drive is sponsored by IMCORP, organized by Ambulance Service of Manchester and powered by volunteers from ASM, Manchester Police, Manchester Fire Rescue EMS, the Rotary Club and MACC Charities staff and more has raised a lot of money, food, and turkeys over the five  years of its existence. It fills the freezers, the pantry and adds money that is so important to help with special needs for babies, diabetics and others with dietary issues, and other important household needs.

We urge you to show up SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23 AND 24 at the Stop and Shop in Manchester and share so that others may eat.

Words That Describe Us: Volume 16

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Aetna Ambulance Service, Inc. - Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC.MANCHESTER and HARTFORD — Aetna Ambulance and ASM send Patient and Customer Satisfaction Surveys to a random sampling of patients who have received emergency or STAT inter-facility services from our companies.

The final question in the survey asks “Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve our service?” And, “Please use one word to describe us.”

Some of the answers/responses included:

  • Caring, professional. As a person who grew up with the Grady’s I know they would be proud of [the] service you are providing.
  • Mr. Robert Hamilton was most caring as was Ashley Cichy (13-84822).
  • The woman who took care of my son on the way to the hospital was great (K. Russell). She was funny and tried to ease my son’s nerves, yet very professional and did what she had to do. I was very happy with her service. (13-78443).
  • The two paramedics were courteous and very competent.
  • Caring and concerned for my privacy. Would use your service again.
  • Great and professional.
  • Fabulous.
  • Excellent!!!
  • Satisfactory.
  • Excellent care.
  • Job well done.
  • Friendly and professional.
  • Professional and caring.
  • Caring/competent
  • Professional and compassionate x 2.
  • Wonderful.
  • Saved my life!
  • Your staff were very professional and kind.
  • Professional + competent
  • Caring
  • Professionalism/Skilled.

Apparently we are professional!

‘Emergency of Hunger’ Food Drive Begins This Weekend

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MANCHESTER — The Fifth Annual ‘Emergency of Hunger’ Food Drive officially starts this weekend. Emergency and public service agencies in five communities band together with Rotary Clubs to collect for local food banks.

Further details on the Food Drive: This is year five and thus far we have collected: 108,000 food and personal care items, 4100 turkeys and over $75,000 in cash, checks and gift cards.

Here are the currently scheduled Food Drive dates and times by town. The following are Stop and Shop locations unless otherwise noted:

  • Enfield:  54 Hazard Avenue. November 17: 900a-400p.
  • Manchester:  286 Broad Street. November 16, 17, 23 and 24. 900a-500p.
  • Rockville:  50 Windsorville Road. November 23 and 24. 900a-400p.
  • Vernon:  10 Pitkin Road. November 23 and 24. 900a-400p
  • South Windsor:  1739 Ellington Road. November 16, 17. 900a-300p.
  • South Windsor:  965 Sullivan Ave. November 16, 17. 900a-300p (Geisslers)
  • Windsor:  Was held November 2, 3, 9 and 10.

Words That Describe Us: Volume 15

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Aetna Ambulance Service, Inc. - Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC.MANCHESTER and HARTFORD — Aetna Ambulance and ASM send Patient and Customer Satisfaction Surveys to a random sampling of patients who have received emergency or STAT inter-facility services from our companies.

The final question in the survey asks “Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve our service?” And, “Please use one word to describe us.”

Some of the answers/responses included:

  • Professional. They did a great job.
  • Caring x 3.
  • Excellent x 6.
  • Great x 2.
  • EMTs were friendly, pleasant, professional, and handled me with skill and confidence.
  • Great!
  • Great. They were great considering I was forced to go by the police.
  • Very professional.
  • Kudos to C. Haag and A. Fine on their care, their respect and overall performance. (13-87969).
  • Professional and efficient.
  • Wonderful service.
  • Quick, professional. Nice job!
  • Dependable.
  • Reassuring, comforting, professional.
  • Good job.
  • Very prompt.
  • Perfect.
  • Very professional. Was made to feel at ease.
  • Compassionate.
  • Competent and Caring. Once I was in the ambulance under a great deal of stress, the medic who rode with me made me feel comfortable and relaxed.
  • Very professional.
  • Competent.
  • Prompt/Professional. I thought I might not make it that night and I appreciated your medical knowledge and helping me through a scary and difficult time.

Renovation and Expansion of ASM’s “10-1″: Volume 9

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MANCHESTER — Additions and renovations to the Ambulance Service of Manchester’s main headquarters, known to employees as “10-1,” continue. As of this writing:

  • Drop ceiling has been added in the entire new space except for the ancillary training room where the walls will extend to the deck/roof.
  • The main restrooms are nearly complete with fixtures, stalls, flooring and cabinetry in place.
  • Painting of walls and trim and staining of doors has been completed.
  • Utility room floors have been sealed.

The next steps are to complete and open for service the main restrooms so that demolition can move to the oldest restrooms and the old side entrance hallway, complete flooring, activate HVAC systems and begin phase two of demolition and construction.

The addition and renovation are part of ASM’s continued commitment and investment in the towns it serves.

Kudos from the Cath Lab: Volume 6

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Aetna Paramedic receives Kudos from the Cath LabFARMINGTON — On October 21, 2013 a Paramedic Unit from Aetna Ambulance (David Noyes and Kelly Shapiro) responded to a sixty-two year old patient with a significant cardiac history, who had been having chest pain for an hour. They did a 12-lead ECG, which revealed a massive inferior infarction. They called in a STEMI Alert to the John Dempsey Hospital ED. Based on their radio patch, Dr. Sasha Gorenbeyn immediately activated the cath lab (16 minutes before patient arrival).

The patient received a heparin bolus in the ED, and then went right up to the cath lab on the EMS stretcher. The patient was found to have a 100% occluded SVG (saphenous vein graft) to the PDA (posterior descending branch). He underwent a successful thrombectomy and stenting restoring perfusion.

He is doing very well thanks to the great job by the combined EMS/Hospital STEMI Team. Kudos also to the staffs of the ICU and cardiac step down for their outstanding re-covery care. 41 Minute Door-to-Balloon time! The patient was discharged home yesterday doing very well. “Thanks again, and extend our compliments to your crew for a job well done.”

*Individually identifiable protected health information has been removed in accordance with Aetna’s HIPAA-related Privacy Policies. 

Words That Describe Us: Volume 14

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Aetna Ambulance Service, Inc. - Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC.MANCHESTER and HARTFORD — Aetna Ambulance and ASM send Patient and Customer Satisfaction Surveys to a random sampling of patients who have received emergency or STAT inter-facility services from our companies.

The final question in the survey asks “Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve our service?” And, “Please use one word to describe us.”

Some of the answers/responses included:

  • Professional x 8.
  • Good x 4.
  • Excellent x 3.
  • Considerate x 2.
  • Compassionate x 3.
  • Efficient x 2.
  • They were helpful to me as the wife. Asked if there was someone coming to help me. (13-72584: M. Tuttle, R. Leslie, J. Bush)
  • My team was wonderful in listening to my needs in helping them do their job as effectively as possible. I would like to thank each one for their service. (13-76135: C. Chasse, A. Wysocki).
  • Kind, efficient and knowledgeable.
  • Outstanding.
  • Wonderful.
  • Caring and professional.
  • Medic was very professional.
  • Excellent, kind, came to check on me with another call.
  • Wonderful! Thank you so much.
  • I had passed out and was not fully cognizant of some of the questions that I did not answer definitively – Overall experience was satisfactory.
  • Professional. Humane.
  • Great service.
  • Very efficient. Caring with everything.

Meet the Newest Members of the ASM Team: ASM Hires Four

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MANCHESTER — On October 14, 2013, four EMTs were added to the ASM team. As part of our continued growth ASM and Aetna 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.

Kyle Baker:    Full time, EMT. Hello my name Is Kyle Baker. I am 22 years old and live in Hebron, CT. I graduated in May of 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Politics from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH. The second semester of my freshman year of college I took an EMT-Basic class and almost instantly I fell in love.  I began working Saint Anselm College EMS, a student run volunteer EMS unit that serves the campus community, shortly after finishing my class. I also began volunteering with Andover Fire Department in Andover, Connecticut. I worked with Saint Anselm EMS until graduation and I continue to actively volunteer with Andover Fire Department.  EMS has been my passion for the last four years and I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to turn it into a career.  In my spare I enjoy listening to music, golfing and enjoying the outdoors. I am incredibly excited to begin my new adventure with the Ambulance Service of Manchester and I look forward to the new experiences I will have and the new people I will meet.

Evan Burgess:    Full Time, EMT. My name is Evan Burgess and I am 21 years old. I was born and raised in Manchester, CT and graduated Manchester High School in 2010. I attended the University of Connecticut for two years and then transferred to Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA to study Biblical Studies. Currently I am finishing my senior year of college online via Liberty University. I came home this year to finish school and get an EMT job. This summer I completed my EMT-B certification class at Hartford Hospital. I am very much involved in my church’s activities at Trinity Covenant Church and I enjoy ministering to people there. I love to play the guitar and I am a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. My brother Colin worked for ASM for a couple years before he headed off to medical school, and he inspired me to become an EMT. I hope to gain experience working with patients and helping them and their families during tough situations. I hope to become a missionary someday, and the experience I gain and learn from this career will aid me in my future endeavors. I am very excited to begin working and learning how to care for people in need.

Polina Yakushchenko:   Full Time, EMT. My name is Polina Yakushchenko and I am 23 years old. I was born in the Ukraine and moved to the United States in 2000. I now live in Vernon, CT. I recently graduated with a Bachelor in Health Science from Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania.  I have had some patient care experience in college working at the student health center along with the local hospitals. One day I hope to go to grad school and continue my education in the medical field. I love to travel and experience new places and cultures. I am very happy to begin working for ASM and I look forward to serving the community.

EMS Structured for Quality: Volume 1

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specialevents4Essential Performance Results

In 2008, the American Ambulance Association issued a best practices white-paper entitled EMS Structured for Quality. The paper was intended as a guide for “those who want to achieve the balance between quality and cost factors, while earning the satisfaction of patients, taxpayers, elected officials, ambulance service managers, employees, and other customers.”

The white paper identified four Essential Performance Results for high performance emergency ambulance services:

  1. Clinical Excellence.
  2. Response-time Reliability
  3. Economic Efficiency.
  4. Customer Satisfaction.

The next four volumes will describe how Aetna and ASM match up to and use these results to succeed and thrive.

ASM to Appear at Crestfield Rehabilitation Center’s Wellness Fair

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CrestfieldMANCHESTER — On Thursday, October 10, 2013 a crew from the Ambulance Service of Manchester will appear at Crestfield Rehabilitation Center and Fenwood Manor, a skilled nursing facility in Manchester. The rehab center is holding its annual Wellness Fair and Apple Festival from 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm.

Free Flu Shots, oral care, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose screenings will be done on-site as well as muscle and nerve screens, balance testing, chair massage and more. ASM’s crew will give ambulance tours and describe our services.

Crestfield is at 565 Vernon Street in Manchester. Contact Kelly at (860) 643-5151 with questions.

High Praise for ASM’s Stacy DeBarge and Jonathan Bush

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Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC. - Stacy DeBarge

ASM’s Stacy DeBarge

“My mom had her first ride with your company yesterday on 10/1/13 from Hospital for Special Care by Stacy and Jon and I must commend them for being so professional. My mom has been through a lot and is a very anxious person and they took that into consideration and they explained everything they were doing to her which eased her anxiety tremendously. I explained to them that she had lots going on in her abdomen area so they were especially gentle with her.

“They were polite, courteous, friendly and patient for the entire duration of

Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC. - Jonathan Bush

ASM’s Jonathan Bush

our time with them. Jon even held a conversation with my mom on the ride to the Doctor’s office. They respected her dignity and kept her covered. They looked very professional in there attire, I was tremendously impressed and would look forward to a ride with either of them if ever needed in the future. I would like to add that they were punctual and got us to our appointment on time and they were patient waiting while the doctor’s office had detained us longer than anticipated.”

-Patient’s Daughter (#13-86061)

Renovation and Expansion of ASM’s “10-1″: Volume 8

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MANCHESTER — Additions and renovations to the Ambulance Service of Manchester’s main headquarters, known to employees as “10-1,” continue. As of this writing:

  • Primer and in some cases paint has been applied to the main rooms.
  • Heavy doors have been hung in some of the offices and pass through areas.
  • The new main restrooms have been tiled.
  • Drop ceiling has been hung in all the new spaces.
  • Data wiring has been run and the secure space for computer servers has been prepared.
  • Windows and doorways have been boxed and framed with trim added.
  • Baseboard heating, thermostats and other HVAC equipment has been installed.

The next steps are to complete the drop ceiling by adding tiles, complete power control installation, touch up the paint, add flooring and add fixtures to the bathrooms. When completed, the renovated space will include additional training and simulation areas, a relocated locker area, new offices, a medical supply staging area, and two new restrooms although the plans remain fluid.

The addition and renovation are part of ASM’s continued commitment and investment in the towns it serves.

Words That Describe Us: Volume 13

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Aetna Ambulance Service, Inc. - Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC.MANCHESTER and HARTFORD — Aetna Ambulance and ASM send Patient and Customer Satisfaction Surveys to a random sampling of patients who have received emergency or STAT inter-facility services from our companies.

The final question in the survey asks “Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve our service?” And, “Please use one word to describe us.”

Some of the answers/responses included:

  • Excellent x 5.
  • Skilled.
  • Quick, well informed staff. Thanks!
  • Conscientious.
  • Caring x 2.
  • Incredible.
  • Very caring and professional.
  • Timely.
  • Well suited.
  • Professional x 10.
  • Efficient.
  • Amazing.
  • Excellent!!
  • Professional humans.
  • Great x 2.
  • You probably saved my life. Thank you for your prompt care.
  • Humane.
  • Professional. The techs were very professional and treated the issue very serious[ly]. Listened to me and asked all the right questions. Explained all the moves they made. Very pleased (13-74038; J. Bissell, R. Bilodeau).
  • Very good/excellent.
  • Superb. The two EMTs that responded, Scott Crittenden and Brian Langan, we’re excellent. As a business owner myself, I feel these gentlemen went above and beyond and [were] so kind as well as professional (13-74442).

Congratulations to South Windsor Fire Department

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From the South Windsor Patch:

Happy Anniversary! South Windsor at the Parade

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400274d9363d68fa9cb1b9dcb2e0646SOUTH WINDSOR — Hundreds of firefighters, fife and drum corps and emergency service but by far best represented were South Windsor’s finest – police, firefighters and Explorers, elected officials, veterans, ambulance… See the full gallery here. 

Ambulance Service of Manchester, LLC. -- South Windsor Fire DepartmentASM was proud and honored to participate in the parade component and congratulates South Windsor Fire Department on their 75th Anniversary.

The Hartford Circus Fire and Aetna Ambulance: Volume 4

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HartfordCircusFireAerial-610x477by Sam Porcello

Miss earlier volumes? Click here…

Reading the 1944 Transportation Committee of the Hartford War Council report on the Circus Fire from the State archives, Aetna Florist was listed as providing a delivery van to the scene of the fire to be used to transport the injured.  In fact, Lucille Grady, who was in her twenties at the time, ran her brother’s florist business while they were away at war, and drove the van to the scene of the fire. (Prior to leaving for the Navy in 1942, Herman and Howard decided to convert one of the delivery trucks into an ambulance.) 

I checked the Aetna Ambulance website, read about the company’s history, and emailed members of management to find out more. Aetna management got back to me right away, answered a lot of my questions and also put me in touch with Dianne Grady Evans, daughter and niece of Howard and Herman Grady, founders of Aetna Ambulance.