Armstrong

Armstrong Ambulance Educator and Clinical Team Member Co-Author Op-ed on Tiered Response vs. All-Advanced Life Support EMS System

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Armstrong Ambulance
87 Mystic St.,
Arlington, MA 02474

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Contact: Jessica Sacco
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Armstrong Ambulance Educator and Clinical Team Member Co-Author Op-ed on Tiered Response vs. All-Advanced Life Support EMS System

ARLINGTON — Armstrong Ambulance Service Inc. is pleased to announce that two members of its team recently co-authored a piece published in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services on emergency medical response.

Armstrong educator and tactical medical provider Stephen Wood co-authored the op-ed, titled “Too many Medics? Debating a Tiered Response vs. All-ALS EMS System” with Armstrong’s Director of Clinical Integration, Benjamin Podsiadlo.

Wood is also a nurse practitioner at Carney Hospital and fellow at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics.

In their op-ed, Wood and Posiadlo examine the debate between the All-Advanced Life Support (paramedic) EMS System and Tiered Response. In a tiered response system, paramedic units serve regional areas, and in the All-ALS EMS System, paramedics are staffed on every ambulance and some fire engines. 

The op-ed also serves as a response to a editorial by Champaign, Ill. Fire Chief Gary Ludwig published this February in “Firehouse Magazine,” which argues that more paramedics staffing ambulances and fire engines would be beneficial. Chief Ludwig argues that although these paramedics may not be getting as much skill maintenance in the field as they did in the tiered response system, they can train in simulations. 

In their analysis, Wood and Posiadlo instead suggest that while it may be beneficial to have more paramedics staffed on emergency vehicles, these professionals need to have access to better training, ongoing education and exposed to a practice environment regularly that will support skill maintenance. The pair also argues that EMS providers need to take a more prominent role in the study and analysis of the tiered response and All-ALS EMS system moving forward, and to focus that research on patient outcomes. 

“This is an incredibly important debate in the field of EMS, and the argument in this op-ed highlights the key issue between these two systems: skill maintenance,” Armstrong CEO Rich Raymond said. “By contributing to the larger conversation about tiered response and the All-ALS EMS system, Stephen and Ben reinforced what truly matters: patient outcomes and the professional skills and development of paramedics.”

To read the op-ed in full, click here.

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Armstrong Ambulance Paramedic Helps Girl Scouts Earn First Aid Badges

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Armstrong Ambulance
87 Mystic St.,
Arlington, MA 02474

For Immediate Release

Friday, May 3, 2019

Contact: Jordan Mayblum
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Armstrong Ambulance Paramedic Helps Girl Scouts Earn First Aid Badges

Armstrong Paramedic Stephanie Crayton (center) met with her neighbor’s Girl Scouts troop in order to help them earn their first aid bages. (Courtesy Photo)

ARLINGTON — An Armstrong Ambulance paramedic recently shared her expertise in emergency medicine in order to help a group of Girl Scouts earn their first aid badge.

Paramedic Stephanie Crayton worked with her neighbor, Dor, and her fellow scouts to share knowledge about the types of injuries and ailments she and her colleagues at Armstrong encounter. In doing so, she helped the girls fulfill one of the core requirements to earn their first aid badges — talking face to face with a first responder.

The scouts are all fourth graders from Cambridge.

Crayton told the girls about her experiences as both a paramedic for Armstrong and as a firefighter with the Cambridge Fire Department, as well as how ambulances and fire departments collaborate to help people in need.

Crayton covered a variety of topics with the scouts, discussing some common types of emergencies and what to do when they arise. They addressed choking, nose bleeds, allergies and anaphylaxis (and the difference between the two), burns, bone fractures and the proper recovery position for someone who is breathing but unconscious.

The scouts also asked Crayton about a wide array of scenarios, including what to do if someone’s house is burning, they’re choking and have a nose bleed all at the same time.

“I was so glad they asked me to help,” Crayton said. “The girls were great listeners and had a lot of fantastic questions about the work we do as paramedics, and I’m proud of the work they put into earning their badges.”

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Photos: Armstrong Ambulance Celebrates Easter in Brighton

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Armstrong Ambulance
87 Mystic St.,
Arlington, MA 02474

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Contact: Jordan Mayblum
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Armstrong Ambulance Celebrates Easter in Brighton

ARLINGTON — Armstrong Ambulance joined the community in an Easter celebration over the weekend in Brighton.

Armstrong opened the doors to one of its ambulances to the public on Saturday, April 20, at the 36th annual Gerry McCarthy Community Egg Hunt at the Sisters of St. Joseph in Boston.

At the event, hundreds of area kids aged 2-10 gathered to collect Easter eggs and explore an ambulance, as well as vehicles from the Boston Police and Fire Departments.

EMTs Remy Cororreal and Jennifer Bowman handed out eggs and candy to children in attendance, and also welcomed them into the ambulance, where they used stethoscopes to listen to their hearts and lungs.

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Armstrong Ambulance Takes Part in Department of Children and Families College Fair

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Armstrong Ambulance
87 Mystic St.,
Arlington, MA 02474

For Immediate Release

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Contact: Jordan Mayblum
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Armstrong Ambulance Takes Part in Department of Children and Families College Fair

ARLINGTON — Armstrong Ambulance representatives attended a college fair held by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families Wednesday.

ARLINGTON — Armstrong Ambulance representatives attended a college fair held by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families Wednesday.

The Wednesday, April 17 fair was held at the Doubletree Hotel in Westborough. Students and foster parents attended the fair to meet with schools and organizations and learn about academic and career opportunities for young people following high school.

Last year, almost every public college in the state was represented at the fair, among other post-secondary groups and private colleges.

Armstrong Ambulance Basic Life Support Training Coordinator Larry LeDoux and HR Generalist Michael McCusker attended the fair, where they informed teens about the available paths to pursue a career in emergency services. They spoke with students about the opportunities and education available to become chair car driver, EMT, or paramedic.

“Working in emergency services is incredibly rewarding, and crucial for the vitality and safety of every community,” McCusker said. “It was a great opportunity for us to share that with students, and inform them about the opportunities and programs available to them to pursue a career in this field, helping people and making a difference every day.”

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