MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, PGFD Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930
Dave J. Iannone, President-Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department, 240-351-8568
The Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department recently implemented a Paramedic Ambulance (PA) program that will provide advanced life support (ALS) medical care. The PA operates within the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Operational Program, as managed by the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. It is expected to provide an emergency medical services team with equipment, supplies, and a vehicle for patient transport and emergency medical care out of hospital. The PA has the following capabilities: ALS medical care, staffed with a minimum of one Maryland-licensed and County-certified ALS provider, and one County-certified BLS provider.
Three volunteer members of Hyattsville have successfully completed the requirements to be both Maryland licensed and Prince George’s County certified ALS providers. Additionally, a large contingent of the active volunteer membership already certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) attended and successfully completed a program to provide ALS assistance. ALS equipment and supplies are maintained by the County Office of Emergency Medical Services and will be provided whenever the PA is placed in service. The PA is scheduled to provide services during 12 hour shifts over the course of upcoming weekends and for special events.The Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad has been operating a similar Paramedic Ambulance Program since 2009.
Dave J. Iannone, President of the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department, stated, “The Paramedic Ambulance program will positively display our EMS growth to the citizens of Hyattsville and beyond. The Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department has played an integral role with our station to accomplish this goal and has been key to its launch and continued success.”
Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Chief Marc S. Bashoor said, “I am proud of the Hyattsville volunteers for placing a Paramedic Ambulance in service, thus enabling them to provide that extra level of advance life support service that is so critical to the citizens and residents of Hyattsville and surrounding communities. They have added this service while continuing to give excellent basic life support ambulance, fire suppression, and rescue services.”
The Hyattsville Paramedic Ambulance, PA 801, was placed in service Friday, January 13, 2012, at 7:33 P.M., and dispatched on its first call one minute later. PA 801 responded to five incidents on its first tour of duty and transported someone on each of those incidents, including a person in cardiac arrest. The Hyattsville volunteers also continued to provide EMS services with their second ambulance that was staffed by EMTs. This unit, Ambulance 801, also responded to five calls.
The Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department is one of the largest combination—career, civilian, and volunteer—departments in the country, with over 800 career and civilian employees and about 1500 active volunteers. Annually, the Fire/EMS Department responds to approximately 130,000 calls for service, of which about 80 percent are EMS-related.
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