North Adams Ambulance Slates Open House
NORTH ADAMS — The North Adams Ambulance Service will kick off a week devoted to honoring first responders by holding an open house at its headquarters at 10 Harris St. on Sunday, May 18.The open house from 10 to 4 will have many activities for children. There will be free food, games, car seat checkpoint, the Safety Awareness and Fire Education house, face painting, tours of the station and a bouncy-bounce.
The Emergency Medical Services Committee of Berkshire County will hold its annual dinner and awards banquet on Friday, May 16, at the Pittsfield Elk's Club; the dinner is open to all emergency responders in Berkshire County.
National Emergency Medical Services week is a time to recognize the life-saving efforts of local emergency responders. Each year, the local ambulance service responds to more than 3,600 calls received through the 911 system. According to the service's General Manager John Meaney Jr., these calls are handled by a team of dedicated and highly trained professionals.
"We have a model EMS system in North Adams, with some of the most vigorous training and advanced equipment available," said Meaney. "Despite North Adams' rural setting, any resident or visitor who may experience a medical emergency here can expect to receive prompt, courteous and quality pre-hospital medical care that meets the highest standards anywhere."
EMS Week is sponsored each year in May by the American College of Emergency Physicians to increase the public's awareness of local emergency medical services, and to recognize local emergency responders. This year's theme for the event is "Local Life is Our Mission."
Meaney said the local EMS system is highly collaborative and includes the 911 system, dispatch centers, first responders, basic life support and advance life support ambulances, air ambulances, acute care hospitals, trauma centers and medical oversight by North Adams Regional Hospital.
"This system works together every day with the goal of saving lives," he said.
There are currently 40 emergency medical technicians on the North Adams Ambulance staff. It operates three ambulances and a sport-utility intercept vehicle. NAAS is accredited through the Department of Public Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services, as a state training institution, which enables the service to offer initial training for basic and intermediate EMTs.
