Letter: First Responders

Editor, The Friday Flyer:

Almost dropped the paper off my lap two weeks ago upon reading the lady’s criticism of the fire department coming to her aid first instead of the ambulance. She had trouble with that?

After the week before, my wife needing emergency aid, I was confronted in five minutes with a host of fire emergency aid to stabilize her before carting her downstairs to the ambulance, which arrived later, and in which she went to the hospital in time for a very successful ending to what could have been a tragedy.

After reading the article, I settled down and realized the lady writing the article definitely needed to be assured also. I wanted to say that the paramedics and fire personnel at first do not know what they are about to encounter. So they take the ultimate action first to assess the problem and settle things down secondarily.

The fire personnel are equipped to give the best and the first of aid, if needed, such as in my wife’s case.

The ambulance is a secondary procedure and is usually more remote from the address in question. The fire department is closer; thus the difference in time response.

Anyway, I hope this explains the difference in the response issue, and I would hope the lady would understand she was lucky!

This is the second time Station 60 has saved the day for us. Let’s cheer them, not denigrate them.

Don Barber