Hambden Secures New Emergency Vehicle
When safety and seconds count, no matter the weather, Hambden Fire Rescue aids in emergencies and a new rescue squad has joined in their loyal life-saving mission.
“This is a milestone for Hambden Township,” said Captain Dave Peterson, of Hambden Township Fire Department. “We have never had a 4 x 4 ambulance and Hambden Township has been labeled as the ‘Snow Capital of Ohio.’”
Squad 3651, the new 2017 Ford F-450 Braun Chief XL Ambulance, was purchased with encumbered funds and ordered as a demo a year ago.
“Considering emergencies do not take breaks during snow storms, we often find ourselves responding during inclement weather,” Peterson said. “We have had issues in the past with getting our ambulance stuck in unplowed or icy driveways. We are optimistic that this will no longer be an issue for us and will prevent any delays in getting people to the hospital during their emergencies.”
The department, located at 9867 Old State Road, operates 11 vehicles, including two ambulances.
Chief Scott Hildenbrand said the last ambulance was purchased in 2011 and every five to six years, they are replaced and rotated.
“Some departments finance it, we chose not to finance,” Hildenbrand added.
Patrick McFall, Penn Care Ambulance sales representative for Northern Ohio, sold the new ambulance.
Penn Care sells roughly 190 ambulances each year to dozens of fire departments, private EMS companies and hospitals over six states.
“Truck style ambulances are now the most popular chassis platform in the marketplace today, almost outselling any other platform by three to one,” McFall said. “The benefits include 4 x 4 capability during inclement weather, large payloads, i.e. the ability to carry more rescue tools, equipment or patients, and gives the driver additional height for increase line of sight visibility.”
Hildenbrand sat in the driver’s seat recently, highlighting the air ride system’s smoother ride and additional room in the back.
“It rides very nice, noticeably smoother,” said Hildenbrand, who is also president of the Geauga County Fire Chiefs Association and sheriff of Geauga County. “It is certainly nice to have four-wheel drive now in the northern part of the county.”
Both Parkman and Munson fire departments have 4 x 4 ambulances.
Hildenbrand said Hambden’s Fire Department responded to a record breaking 666 calls in 2016 and 62 percent of those with ambulances.
McFall explained the power loading cot system is the latest and safest technology when it comes to transport of patients in an emergency, and are also a tremendous help for fire and rescue crews as it does all of the heavy lifting to load the patient into the ambulance.
“Once the crew has loaded the patient onto the cot and brought to the rear of the ambulance, the power load system reaches out, secures the cot from underneath, lifts it off the ground and helps slide the cot into and out of the ambulance,” McFall said. “Fire and rescue crews are able to minimize risk of on-the-job injury and it has been proven to increase patient safety during transport.”
He added, “The community should be proud of the effort the fire department put into selecting the new ambulance. The chief and his crew spent lots of time considering different options, including scene lighting, power cot systems, radio communications, layout and patient comfort while keeping safety as their number one priority. The results of their efforts provided the community with a strong, safe, reliable ambulance that will serve the community for years to come.”
Peterson said the department is fortunate the residents of Hambden have entrusted and supported them to be able to provide residents with fire/EMS coverage.
“We are constantly training and looking for new ways to better serve our residents so that when they make a call to 9-1-1, when they are having one of the worst days of their lives, we can show up and make it better,” Peterson said.
Hambden’s David Paterson recalled one of his worst days.
The evening of Dec. 14, 2013, was snowy and cold when Paterson suffered chest pains and the department’s EMS squad transported him to University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center 12 minutes away.
Paterson suffered a massive heart attack and credited Hambden fire department for saving his life and appreciates the new ambulance.
“They did the best job anybody could do and saved my life as a result,” Paterson said. “They really went above and beyond.”
Peterson thanked the community for their continuous support of their department.
“We have made strides to serve them better and would certainly not be able to do that without their support of our department,” Peterson said. “We look forward to using this new rescue squad to enhance our ability to serve Ohio’s snow capital.”
