On November 19, 2008 the Milton First Aid Squad became the first volunteer ambulance squad in Morris County to host an open house orientation of the new Saint Clares Health System Logistical Support Truck, also known as Unit 50. This Ford F550 tactical truck was generously donated by the St Clares Ladies Auxiliary of Denville and Boonton, New Jersey. Unit 50 was originally designed to support the Saint Clares paramedic staff, but after seeing a greater need for this support truck, four months ago it became available to local municipalities, providing logistical support at fire scenes and mass casualty incidents. The truck's coverage area spans the better part of three counties, covering approximately 1,200 square miles.
The Saint Clares Support truck is the first of it's kind in Morris County, NJ. Since it's inception, Unit 50 has already responded to several large scale emergency incidents such as the Kingstown Diesel gas station fire that occurred in Netcong on July 31, 2008 and the bus accident on Route 80 West onto Berkshire Valley Road in Roxbury, New Jersey on Aug 22, 2008. Unit 50 is driven by Saint Clares Paramedic Supervisors who are required to have ICS (Incident Command System) certification. The support truck can be requested by local incident commanders (for example : Fire Chiefs and Squad Captains) through their municipality's emergency dispatch center. A call will then be placed to CENCOM, located in Summit, NJ, who immediately dispatches the support truck to respond from Dover to the requested location. Unit 50 can respond in tandem with a request for a Saint Clares Paramedic MIC Unit ( Mobile Intensive Care ) or it can be requested solely for the use of it's logistical supplies to aid with firefighter rehabilitation at fire scenes as well as for assistance with large scale accident scenes. Once the truck arrives at the emergency scene, it's staff can assist if needed, with the role of providing basic life support. The role of the support truck is to offer assistance with an emergency, not to take command of it.
Saint Clares Paramedic Supervisor, Mike Gast, who has been an emergency medical responder for over 24 years and a paramedic for 16 years, provided onlookers with a tour of the vehicle. Among it's many impressive features, the Saint Clares Logistical Support Truck carries six patient backboards, two size "M" oxygen tanks ( containing approximately 3,540 liters of oxygen) , an eight patient multi liter oxygen system capable of supplying oxygen to eight patients at once, BLS and ALS (basic and advanced life support) supplies, halogen lighting for scene safety and traffic control, firefighter misting fans to cool down overheated fire crews, 15 gallons of drinking water, an on-board refrigeration unit for rehydration, a locked and climate controlled medications cabinet, a disaster board and communication command post fully equipped with radios and a cross-band repeater, Internet access and an EMS computerized patient charting system.
There is no charge to patients or municipalities for the use of this support truck and it's supplies. The Milton First Aid Squad hopes to adopt a new standard operating procedure that will quickly enable them to make use of this valuable service from the Saint Clares Health System.
The Saint Clares Support truck is the first of it's kind in Morris County, NJ. Since it's inception, Unit 50 has already responded to several large scale emergency incidents such as the Kingstown Diesel gas station fire that occurred in Netcong on July 31, 2008 and the bus accident on Route 80 West onto Berkshire Valley Road in Roxbury, New Jersey on Aug 22, 2008. Unit 50 is driven by Saint Clares Paramedic Supervisors who are required to have ICS (Incident Command System) certification. The support truck can be requested by local incident commanders (for example : Fire Chiefs and Squad Captains) through their municipality's emergency dispatch center. A call will then be placed to CENCOM, located in Summit, NJ, who immediately dispatches the support truck to respond from Dover to the requested location. Unit 50 can respond in tandem with a request for a Saint Clares Paramedic MIC Unit ( Mobile Intensive Care ) or it can be requested solely for the use of it's logistical supplies to aid with firefighter rehabilitation at fire scenes as well as for assistance with large scale accident scenes. Once the truck arrives at the emergency scene, it's staff can assist if needed, with the role of providing basic life support. The role of the support truck is to offer assistance with an emergency, not to take command of it.
Saint Clares Paramedic Supervisor, Mike Gast, who has been an emergency medical responder for over 24 years and a paramedic for 16 years, provided onlookers with a tour of the vehicle. Among it's many impressive features, the Saint Clares Logistical Support Truck carries six patient backboards, two size "M" oxygen tanks ( containing approximately 3,540 liters of oxygen) , an eight patient multi liter oxygen system capable of supplying oxygen to eight patients at once, BLS and ALS (basic and advanced life support) supplies, halogen lighting for scene safety and traffic control, firefighter misting fans to cool down overheated fire crews, 15 gallons of drinking water, an on-board refrigeration unit for rehydration, a locked and climate controlled medications cabinet, a disaster board and communication command post fully equipped with radios and a cross-band repeater, Internet access and an EMS computerized patient charting system.
There is no charge to patients or municipalities for the use of this support truck and it's supplies. The Milton First Aid Squad hopes to adopt a new standard operating procedure that will quickly enable them to make use of this valuable service from the Saint Clares Health System.
