Fire chief reports training, readiness advances in 2005

Grand Island Dispatch, December 16, 2005
by Ray Pauley
Public Information Officer, Grand Island Fire Company

Chief Greg Butcher reports that the Grand Island Fire Company has continued to improve its state of readiness through specialized training for emergency dispatchers, as well as Basic and Advanced Life Support providers.

Butcher said what happens to your 911 call for help is critically important, because the fire company must be fully prepared to handle more than 1,500 fire and EMS incidents yearly. Consequently, frequent training upgrades will ensure that a solid core of community protection professionals is available on a 24-7 basis, he stressed.

Communications Supervisor Steve Morgan said fire company dispatchers are the first link in a resident’s call for emergency assistance and must provide immediate lifesaving intervention and more. To increase their capabilities, these Emergency Medical Dispatchers have recently received accredited Emergency Fire Dispatcher training from the National Academy of Emergency Fire Dispatchers. A unified fire protocol, combined with the latest in caller interrogation and response prioritization, was incorporated into a new Fire Priority Dispatch System for hands-on application.

Meanwhile, EMS Captain/paramedic Sean Manning coordinated a series of intensive BLS and ALS recertification courses so that fire company providers could sharpen necessary life support skills. Basic Trauma Life Support training was presented by fire company Medical Director Dr. Lee Ruotsi, so that 24 paramedics and advanced level EMTs could obtain a two-year recertification.

The Grand Island Fire Company also hosted an American Heart Assocation CPR course for 43 students, which was a further extension of community-based training started in 1995. Manning said that such exposure to multiple lifesaving topics established a quality partnership between local care providers and the public they serve.

EMT original and refresher courses began during April of this year and were completed on Nov. 17, providing students with a three-year certification in prehospital emergency care. Several successful participants have more than 20 years each as active EMTs and should be commended for their lifetime achievement, Manning said.

An Advanced Cardiac Life Support recertification course was also made available to doctors, nurses, physicians’ assistants, paramedics and other providers who received a two-year certification, Dr. Ruotsi and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Training Coordinator Karen Franco were joined by Grand Island Fire Company instructors Manning, Stephen Stouter and Robert Cleveland, who covered a wide spectrum of ACLS topics, including use of diagnostic tools, treatment priorities and AED application.

Butcher said a winning combination of modern equipment, specialized training and a lot of hard work has kept the Grand Island Fire Company one of the best community protection providers in New York state.

In addition, a 2005 expansion project at Fire Headquarters will add a new dimension in protective resources that are required to cover the needs of a growing community, he said. “This success by your Grand Island Fire Company volunteer team has become a reassuring reality for many years, and will continue into 2006,” Butcher said.