By Larry Smith
Hartford Courant (Connecticut)
Copyright 2007 The Hartford Courant Company
All Rights Reserved
ENFIELD, Conn. — Town council members Tuesday approved an agreement with the Thompsonville Fire Department to incorporate firefighters into the emergency medical services.
Under the renewable one-year agreement, a Thompsonville firefighter trained as an emergency medical technician would be available to staff an ambulance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The fire district also will provide space for an ambulance in the firehouse on Pearl Street when the EMS director or the supervisor on duty finds it necessary.
The town will pay a $57 fee to the fire district for each trip in which a firefighter is a member of the ambulance crew.
The Thompsonville fire commission approved the agreement last Thursday, acting fire chief Frank Alaimo said. Members of the department and commission worked hard with town officials on the agreement, he said.
“I think it’s a good clean agreement,” Alaimo said.
Arthur Groux, the town director of emergency services, said the agreement will benefit residents not only in the Thompsonville section, but all of Enfield.
“We’re pretty happy with it,” Groux said.
Scott Kaupin, Republican minority leader, said he supports the agreement and that it has been the council’s goal to incorporate all of the fire districts in the emergency medical services for the town.
“This allows us to move forward with the other fire departments,” Kaupin said. “If they want to jump on board, it shows a pathway forward.”
Mayor Patrick Tallarita said he thinks the agreement is a fine structure to move forward on the council’s goal for emergency medical services.
“I think we ought to move on this tonight,” Tallarita said.
Town Manager Matthew W. Coppler said town officials will meet with members of three fire departments on Thursday about coming to similar agreements in the future. How long it will take to do that isn’t known, he said.
The majority of the council decided to proceed with the agreement and make amendments in the future if needed.