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Leominster Fire Department
E.M.S
About our services

The Leominster Fire Department runs 1 ambulance, manned by two firefighters who are emergency medical technicians-at the Basic level. We refer to our ambulances as RESCUES, for the two firefighters are required to perform search and rescue operations at a fire and during water/ice water operations. We do provide a 2nd rescue if the need arises. This rescue is manned with 2 firefighter/emt’s. Each one of these individuals are regularly assigned to the Engine 4 and Ladder 1 crews respectively. All members of the Leominster Fire Department are Emergency Medical Technicians-Basic. (Referred to EMT - B) Our city is also covered by a secondary EMS Company called, Med Star. They provide ALS or advanced life support services for the whole community of Leominster. At times you may see two ambulances responding to a call somewhere in the city. This is because the person who called the ambulance has a more life-threatening emergency. Our rescue can respond anywhere in the city in just less than four minutes. Some delays may occur if the rescue is responding from the hospital, inclement weather, or if you live at the outer boundaries of the City. No matter what the case, remain calm and be reassured that help is on the way. If it’s a life-threatening emergency, don’t be surprised if an engine company arrives before the rescue crew. This is done to get help to the residents of our city as quickly as possible. Every one of our members, including our Fire Prevention Officers, are trained to render emergency care.
Our ems department is coordinated by one of our own, highly qualified, and dedicated members, Lt. Charles “Chuck” LeBlanc. If you have any questions regarding our services and training, please contact him at: cleblanc@leominsterfire.org

Training

All of our ems training, whether it is a refresher course, c.p.r. And defibrillation, epi certification, etc; is done “in-house”. The Leominster Fire Department requires all fire fighters to become emt-b certified within their first year of being hired. The department does not pay for this initial EMT course. The individual fire fighter pays for this course. For more information on C.P.R., refresher courses, or on becoming an E. M. T. please feel free to visit the following web sites.

For EMT courses or more information regarding how to become an EMT, CPR, or First Responder, please contact the following:

Red Cross: http://www.northcentralmassachusettschapteroftheamericanredcross.org
Central Mass Emergency Medical Services: http://www.cmemsc.org/training
Quinsigamond Community College: http://www.qcc.mass.edu/
Mount Wachussett Community College: http://www.mqcc.mass.edu/
 
Leominster Fire EMS History

• 2005 - January 3, 2005 at the Mid-Term inaugural ceremony at city hall, two public safety officers where presented with the Mayor’s Annual Community Service Award. Fire Lt. Charles R. LeBlanc and Police Officer Steven A. Creamer were this year’s recipients for services provided to the community.

• 2004 - May:
On-going training sessions held in conjunction with Health Alliance/ Leominster Hospital involving physicians, nursing staff and engineering crews participating in hands on training in Incident Command application, ambulance decontamination procedures and the Rapid Decontamination Program. All three sessions included participants from area fire departments including Leominster, Fitchburg, Shirley, Princeton and Lunenburg in addition to representatives from Leominster Police, Health Alliance Security, Mass. State Police as well as Med Star and Patriot ambulance companies.

June:
The following apparatus was equipped with LifePak 500 Defibrillators:
E 2, 3, 4 and 5; L 1 and 2; and Rescues 1, 2 and 3. As of 11-05-04, all members of the Leominster Fire Department were certified to use the LifePak 500 units. Prior to June 2004, a total of 7 defibrillators were available for emergency use. Through a federal grant, two additional LifePak 500 units were put into service on June 1, bringing the total number of units to 9.

Members of the Leominster Fire Department have been providing CPR & AED
training to various organizations both within the City of Leominster and for other area organizations. Several City Hall employees completed the Community CPR program and additional programs are being set up to train more city employees in both CPR & Automated External Defibrillation techniques.

As of November 2004, the City of Leominster was recognized as a “Heart Safe Community.” This was made possible by the assistance of the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association.

Members are required by Mass. State Regulations to maintain a minimum of 28 hours of continuing education and training relating to emergency medical care over a 2 year period. This department provides a minimum of 16 hours of continuing education per year and on the even calendar years all members must participate and successfully complete a 24 hour DOT EMT Refresher course. This training is provided in house and was completed by March of this year. All members recertify in both CPR & AED each year during the month of November and at each training session all members review recent changes and updates to EMS Protocols.

Leominster Fire Department participated with area fire, police, federal and
state agencies for a “Dirty Bomb” incident held at Fitchburg State College. Deputy Chief Spano from Fitchburg Fire Department was the lead liaison and coordinator for the pre-incident training and hands on drill. Leominster Fire, under the direction of Chief Alfred LeBlanc and Deputy Chief Robert Sideleau II, provided apparatus and manpower as needed for the “Dirty Bomb” exercise.

• 2003 - Community CPR & AED training continues to be part of the annual training
provided to area organizations. Searstown Mall and Orchard Hills Athletic Club, with instruction provided by members of this department and certification through the
American Red Cross, have completed their annual recertification. Both organizations
have a LifePak 500 units available if needed.

With the assistance from Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, instruction was
provided to Health Alliance personnel on the proper application of the Incident Command System with existing emergency and non-emergency procedures currently in effect at both the Leominster and Burbank campuses and satellite facilities.

Hazardous Material Training and Bio-Terrorism updates and training sessions were held for all members.

• 2002 - Department members participated in Paramedic/EMT assistant program as a part of on going training to keep department EMT’s up to date when working with area
paramedic teams.

The AMTRAK Railroad system provided training to members on procedures and
precautions to utilize when working on or around railway equipment as well as when dealing with passenger and commuter rail service.

Annual hazardous material training and drill conducted under the guidance of
department HazMat team technicians.

• 2001 - All front line apparatus equipped with pulse oximeters. (E2, 3 and 4, L-1 and
Rescues 1 and 2)

Annual Hazardous Material Training conducted under the guidance of HazMat
Technician/FF/EMT Jimmy Smith.

• 2000 - A new ambulance was purchased by the department replacing the 1988 Rescue 1 and was placed into service. The former Resuce 1 was retired from service.

EPI-PEN training sessions are on going, with all members certified to use the device. The following companies have the device on board: E-2, 3, and 4, L-1, Rescues 1 and 2.

Annual Hazardous Material Training conducted under the guidance of HazMat
Technician-FF/EMT Jimmy Smith.

• 1999 – Current standard for annual training for EMT’s:
* 28 Hours continuing ed
* 24 hrs. DOT refresher
* 8 hrs De-fib re-certification
* 12 hours CPR re-certification
 
• 1998 – ALS system downgraded from two-paramedic non-transport unit, to one paramedic transport unit. Unit will remain available for non-emergency and emergency use.
* Disaster drill –fire department has participated and initiated disaster training drills with the following agencies:
* Leominster Hospital
* Fairlawn Nursing Home
* Keystone Nursing Home
* Leominster Emergency Management Agency
* The drills have outlined needs for agencies to address decontamination issues.
* The fire department had provided annual training to nursing program for MCI, and hospital evacuation drills, program ended when nursing program was ended mid 80’s. Fire department has provided ride along program to nurses and area physicians, to educate on the needs of providing emergency care in the field.
* Hazardous Material drills and training have been on going with area chemical and other agencies such as Novacor, Goodrich Co., Leominster Waste Water treatment Plant. Auto extrication drills have been on going with E.T. Cote & Sons, Ricky’s Towing Co., since 1980 to present.

• 1997 – Health Alliance donates Rescu-Alive sled to department for Cold Water Rescue, all members are trained to current Cold Water Rescue techniques.
* Feb
* Defibrillator and ALS system save retired FF M. Lanza. Group 1 celebrates with gathering at H.Q. Sunday Telegram Local lead story.

• 1996 - Oct 15th Health Alliance initiates regional Advanced Life Support Program. Paramedic Two of Patriot Ambulance assigned to Leominster Hospital, fire department providing dispatching of unit. Entire department trained in ALS/BLS intercept program/

• 1995 – 4th defibrillator put into service, first defibrillator purchased with city funding.
* Rescues 1 & 2
* Engines 2 & 3 equipped with life saving device, 78 members certified to provide d-fib care.
* 1995 – 100% of department trained Epi-Pen Program.

• 1994 – Hep-B program on going for fire department and city employees.

• 1993 – Orchard Hills Athletic Club donates 3rd defibrillator to Leominster Fire Department.
* Aug 13th, Defibrillator utilized to save cardiac victim on I-190.
* Sept. 26th, Defibrillator utilized to assist with save of FF W. Penning, son FF R. Penning and brother perform CPR on their father till rescue crews arrive.

• 1992 – June
* Second defibrillator donated to fire department by Dr. Kaman and area physicians. Used to save life of Maurice Messerman, at Sheraton Hotel, Dr. Kaman initiates CPR, defibrillator utilized. Department now has 51 certified members under the defibrillator program.
* 83 members certified to EMT.

• 1991 – April 3rd first defibrillator placed into service-purchased with CDBG funding. 17 members attend and successfully complete 12-hour program, under direction of Dr. Chetkowski.
* November
* 2nd defibrillator placed into service.

• 1989 – All front line apparatus equipped with O2 and Medical “jump” kits.
* 90% of department certified as EMT’s.
* June 3-4
* Micro burst strikes area; use of mutual aid system, and EMS Program provides timely mutual aid to city and area departments.
* Montachusett Review issues two, three-page article on the efficiency of Leominster Fire Departments ability to provide quality EMS to the City of Leominster.
 
• 1990 – August fee for use of ambulance increased from $50 to $150.00 per incident, increase in call volume up to 2300 annually.

• 1988 – Leominster Fire Department provides quality backup ambulance service to Fitchburg during Montachusett Ambulance Service inability to handle call volume for the City of Fitchburg.

• 1987 - $65,000 appropriated for purchase of Type I ambulance, $10,000 appropriated through Board of Health to initiate Hep-B program for city employees, first city in area to offer program.

• 1986 – Call volume increase: 1976 total runs 1147, 1986 total runs 1767.

• 1985 – EMT program minimum requirements 120 hr. Initial training program, re-certification, and 28 hrs. Continuing education hrs, annual CPR training, 20 hr. DOT refresher.
* 60 hrs re-certification for EMT’s every two years.
* Department purchases 1985 Type I ambulance.

• 1984 – Fire department in cooperation with American Red Cross provides instructors to area eateries to meet state regulation to be trained in proper life saving choking methods.

• 1981 – Shepards Express donates Survival Suits to Leominster Fire Department for Cold Water Rescue, all members are trained to current standard on Cold Water Rescue Techniques.

• 1980 – 50% of firefighter certified as EMT’s.

• 1978 – 25 members certified as EMT’s.

• 1976 – Massachusetts adopts First Responder Training Program for all known EMT’s minimum training American Red Cross to meet minimum standard.

• 1975 – Fire Department adopts Department of Transportation Emergency Medical Technician Program, Four (4) members pass initial course, all assigned to Rescue-1. Minimum requirement 110 hours of training, two part examination written, practical total 10 hrs. Total hours per course 120 hrs.
* Minimum re-certification requirement:
* 48 hrs. Continuing ed.20 hr. DOT refresher program.
* 12 hr. CPR training.
* 80 hrs. Per firefighter every two years.

• 1973 – Under direction of DC Angelini, department becomes first in area to have all members certified through American Red Cross. CPR for the Professional Rescuer, the program has been part of our annual training for over 29 years. (As of 1975 mandatory for all professional rescue personnel)
* Leominster Fire Department maintaining two ambulances.

• 1961 - $5.00 fee for use of ambulance adopted by city council.

• 1952 - Ambulance Service undertaken under the direction of Chief Ernest Johnson. Training requirement Basic First Aid Course.