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Advanced Life Support

• On February 1, 2007, Hemlock Farms Advanced Life Support went into service providing 24/7/365 Advanced Life Support Emergency Medical Services to the Hemlock Farms Community Association. Hemlock Farms Advanced Life Support is based in the Public Safety Building. The average Advanced Life Support response time is 4.8 minutes, an unheard-of response time in a rural area and well below the national standard of 8 minutes.

• This service is provided via contract with Regional EMS (Emergency Management Services). They provide the vehicle, equipment, medical supplies, and the NY & PA certified Paramedics. The service utilizes a non-patient-transport vehicle certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as an Advanced Life Support Squad car.  The service is dispatched by Pike County 911 Communication Center.

• The Paramedic responds to all 911 calls for medical emergencies, fires, possible fires, and vehicular accidents within Hemlock Farms.  The Paramedic will ride to the hospital on Hemlock Farms Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company ambulance when a call requires advanced life support care.  Regional EMS will relocate an Advanced Life Support unit to the Hemlock Farms area when the Paramedic is unavailable due to another call. Generally, this unit will be relocated from the Port Jervis, NY, or Westfall Township, PA areas.

• Basic Life Support and ambulance transport services are provided by the Hemlock Farms Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company, which, in addition to Hemlock Farms, also covers most of Blooming Grove Township and all of Porter Township. Advanced Life Support services outside of Hemlock Farms are primarily provided by Pike County Advanced Life Support based in Milford and Hawley.

• The Paramedics utilize the most complete and modern Advanced Life Support equipment including 12-lead EKG monitors/defibrillators, external pacemakers, advanced airway control equipment, approximately 30 medications, intravenous infusion supplies, pulse oximeters, blood glucose analysis units, and bio-telemetry equipment that allows 12-lead EKG data to be sent directly to hospital emergency departments.

• Patients will not be billed by Regional EMS. Patients who are transported will be billed by the Hemlock Farms Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company. If the patient requires Advanced Life Support services, the bill will reflect Advanced Life Support services and therefore be higher than if the patient required only Basic Life Support Services. Those who contribute an annual amount of $75 or more to the Hemlock Farms Fire and Rescue Company will not be held liable for any portion of the bill not covered by insurance. The Hemlock Farms Community Association will be reimbursed by the Hemlock Farms Fire and Rescue Company for income they receive from the Advanced Life Support portion of a bill, thereby partially offsetting the cost to the Association for providing this vital life-saving service.

• Public Safety will continue to train Patrol Officers as Emergency Medical Technicians and equip patrol cars with trauma bags, oxygen, and automated external defibrillators.

• ALS personnel contribute monthly articles in the Hemlock News that are pertinent to the health and safety of our residents.

                                                                                                                                 December 7, 2009