Crime & Safety
Manchester Fire Rolls Out 'Squad 1' To Decrease Ambulance Calls
The program will expand community paramedicine, and reduce mutual aid from Bedford, Londonderry, Goffstown, and Hooksett ambulances.
MANCHESTER, NH — The Manchester Fire Department has taken steps to offer more people assistance — and reduce the need for some ambulance and fire apparatus responses.
The new program will expand its community paramedicine model and reduce the dependence on some mutual aid ambulances.
Manchester Fire and AMR Ambulance respond several times a week to medical calls that do not always require an ambulance. Examples are people who may have fallen and need assistance getting up, intoxicated people sleeping in doorways, and other minor medical calls.
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Many times Manchester has AMR ambulances that have been dispatched to these lower-level calls, and more medically critical calls come in. When those more critical calls are dispatched MFD often has to reach out for mutual aid ambulances. Those ambulances respond from Goffstown, Bedford, Londonderry, and Hooksett. The response time is extended due to the travel time, and the towns they are responding from are left with reduced resources for their towns.
A newly funded program will use a newly designated team of 2 people called “Squad 1.” The Squad will be staffed Monday thru Friday from 9 am to 3 pm as the program rolls out. A Manchester Fire Lieutenant or Captain and firefighter with EMT skills or above will be staffing Squad 1. The newly-formed Squad 1 is funded by the state of New Hampshire at least through June 2022, and if successful can be continued.
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Resources such as the vehicle and supplies were redirected from the MFD “Outreach Team” that solely visited homeless camps on a daily basis. The Squad will continue to integrate with their dedicated partners at Families in Transition and Greater Manchester Mental Health Center when going out to new encampments or encampments of high need.
Deputy Chief Ryan Cashin said that this will free up AMR resources and MFD apparatus for the more critical calls. Also, the Squad will respond to Safe Station requests throughout the city, freeing up firefighters who would normally do the intake. The Squad will be activated for special events such as the fireworks, parades, and road races where they can be an additional resource.
The new program is being rolled out this week, and they are working out any challenges. Cashin said he expects the full rollout at the beginning of August.
©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news
