Community News
Click on the below topics to take you to more information.
• Narcan
• Xplorer Garden (9-22-15)
• Dr. Lavelle
• United Way (7-13-12)
• Muddy Angels (5-23-12)
• EMS on the Hill (3-20-12)
• ALS Responder (10-20-10)
• To the Rescue Faster
• American Red Cross (11-29-09)
• Rhys Blair (10-8-08)
It's in your POWER to help!
During these challenging economic times, we are all looking for ways to support our favorite causes while still being conscious of family budgets.
CBEMS has recently joined with Kynect and Stream Energy to assist our supporters in helping us by simply doing something they already do - pay their energy bill.
CBEMS receives a monthly commission when people who enroll their electricity or natural gas service through Stream's unique opportunity.
This opportunity is an excellent fundraising campaign for us because everybody uses energy already, and the commissions we receive are paid monthly for the duration of your relationship with Stream. There’s no extra out-of-pocket cost for you, and we benefit on an ongoing basis every month.
Please visit our CBEMS endorsed Kynect link to to learn more about how you can help us raise funds while possibly lowering your energy bill.
Enrollment only takes a few minutes and we are here to help and answer any questions you may have.
As a “thank-you” new customers who enroll this month will receive a $50 Visa gift card after the third month of service from Stream.
It’s a win-win for all!
Xplorer Garden
DOYLESTOWN -- Members of Central Bucks Emergency Medical Services Explorers Post 125 pitched in during the summer months growing and harvesting fresh produce at the Central Bucks EMS facilities at 455 East St. in Doylestown. The produce harvested was donated to Bucks County Housing Group (BCHG) food pantry in Doylestown. Area businesses donated materials and seeder plants to establish the six raised-bed garden.
In the photo first row, (from left) Brittney Primus, Ben Dolbier, Dan Pfeiffer; second row (from left) John Kenderdine, Donnie Rogers, Matt Pfeiffer, Josh Corson, Luke Velcheck and post advisors Ashley Pohle, Robert Dorfman, Cathy Pohle and Susan Dorfman.
Dr Lavelle: Who says doctors don't make house calls anymore?
Central Bucks Ambulance Squad puts a new spin on an old practice
by Janine Logue, "The Doylestown Observer" "Times Publishing Newspapers, Inc.",
Photo by Mark Margraff
Who says doctors don't make house calls anymore?
In Doylestown and the surrounding areas, doctors are making house calls all the time.
About two years ago Central Bucks Ambulance Chief Chuck Pressler got an idea - what if,
instead of just paramedics and EMTs, area residents could be treated by an actual doctor during a medical emergency?
"Our chief is an imaginative guy…he recently decided to contract with the premier teaching hospital in Philadelphia for emergency medicine physicians - Albert Einstein Medical Center," said Joe Hayes, a paramedic with Central Bucks Ambulance.
The Squad's agreement with Einstein means resident emergency medicine doctors ride with the Squad.
Resident's are doctors who have graduated from medical school but are undergoing 3-4 years of postgraduate training.
In addition to the resident doctors, Dr. Ken Lavelle, an attending ER physician at Einstein and the Squad's medical director, often responds to critical or complicated calls.
"As an active medical director I get to spend time with the medics both in the station and the field treating patients," said Dr. Lavelle.
Riding with the Squad has brought back some old memories for Dr. Lavelle.
"I enjoy the chance to get back in the field," said Dr. Lavelle.
"As a former paramedic and EMS Chief I know what the staff has to deal with on a regular basis."
Chief Pressler can see the benefit that the doctor's team has been to the Squad and the community.
"I truly believe it has improved our level of care.
[Dr. Lavelle's] influence has been very positive for our providers," said Chief Pressler.
"The object is to provide appropriate and timely care on the pre-hospital side… and reduce the [hospital] stay time for patients."
The program also benefits the doctors.
"Emergency Medicine residents receive patients in the emergency department, but they don't always know what happens before the patient arrives.
By having them ride with EMS crews they are able to see first hand the conditions that patients come from and the conditions with which the medics have to deal," said Dr. Lavelle.
The doctors have responded to several hundred emergency calls in the area.
"As you might imagine, most patients are amazed to realize in addition to a paramedic and EMT they're also being seen by a doctor right in their home," added Joe.
According to Joe, there are no other EMS squads in the Central Bucks area who are involved in this program.
"I truly believe programs such as this have a positive impact on the quality of care being provided by EMS providers," added Chief Pressler.
"My philosophy behind this program and with moving forward is to prove that EMS has a vital role in Emergency Medicine and should be taken seriously."
Dr. Lavelle agrees, and implores the community to support the Squad.
"The reason I am able to spend so much time with the medics and patients is because Central Bucks Ambulance pays my hospital to replace me," said Dr. Lavelle.
"Other medical directors are paid little or nothing, so have much less time to dedicate.
So there is a cost involved, but we believe that there is a significant benefit to the patients and the providers.
I feel fortunate that Central Bucks is willing and able to do so and wish more agencies had the resources.
As a non-profit organization, they benefit from donations and municipal support.
This is one area that these funds are directed in a way to give back to the community."
United Way to open office in Doylestown
By Christina Kristofic July 13, 2012
The United Way of Bucks County has never had much of a physical presence in Central and Upper Bucks.
Jamie Haddon, the organization's new president and CEO, wants to change that. Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Unit Chief Chuck Pressler, who knew Haddon from his days working for the Second Alarmers Rescue Squad, volunteered to help. Pressler and Haddon announced Thursday that the United Way will open a new satellite office in the ambulance squad's Doylestown headquarters.
The United Way of Bucks County will maintain its existing office in Falls, which currently is being renovated.
Haddon said United Way leaders are "ecstatic" about opening an office in Doylestown.
"I just feel like this is what we're supposed to be doing by working together as nonprofits to make the world a better place," Haddon said.
The Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Unit already shares office space with the American Red Cross. Pressler said he offered Haddon the use of some of the ambulance squad's space because he wanted to help "establish a resource for the less fortunate in the area."
The ambulance squad and the United Way put a new sign up Wednesday. Haddon said he plans to move some staff into the office in the fall.
In the meantime, Haddon plans to start building connections with nonprofit and community leaders throughout Bucks County with a series of "community conversations."
The United Way will hold a mini-conference from 2 to 5 p.m. and a barbecue and business card exchange from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on July 24 at Aldie Mansion. The goal of the event will be to gather nonprofit and community leaders to discuss what's happening in Bucks County and what issues nonprofits are facing.
The discussion on July 24 will serve as the starting point for a small lecture series in the fall about solutions to the problems nonprofits are facing.
Haddon said the United Way wants to help make local nonprofits healthier: "If we can make them healthier, we help the people they're helping."
Muddy Angels
Doylestown Patch by David Powell 5-23-12
About 100 emergency medical service workers passed through Doylestown Wednesday on their bicycles for the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride.
The route takes the riders from Boston to Alexandria, Virginia in honor of EMS workers who have been injured or killed in the line of duty.
The "Muddy Angels," as the EMS riders are known, begin training over the winter for a ride that often logs more than 70 miles per day.
After departing from Princeton, NJ, the cyclists rode through Buckingham and into Doylestown, where the Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Squad had set up a water stop for them.
Their route then took them through Doylestown and Warrington townships into Montgomery County.
The riders were expected through Montgomery Township at about noon, then continue through Lower Gwynedd, Whitpain, Worcester, East Norriton, and Lower Providence before crossing the Schuylkill River into Chester County, where they will end this leg of their ride later this afternoon.
Police departments along the route will be closing road segments and escorting the riders as the Muddy Angels pass through town.
EMS on the Hill
On March 20 and 21, 2012, EMS professionals from across the nation attended EMS on the Hill Day in Washington, D.C. Now in its third year and hosted by NAEMT, EMS on the Hill Day is the only national EMS advocacy event open to all EMS professionals.
At the event, more than 198 EMS practitioners from 42 states and the District of Columbia attended 246 meetings with their U.S. Senators, House Representatives, and their congressional staff to inform them about and lobby for key EMS issues and legislation.
This year's successful event included representation from all sectors of the EMS community, sent a consistent message on the important issues facing EMS in our country, and gave EMS professionals the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with their congressional leaders.
ALS Responder
Faster emergency response on its way to New Hope
Published: Wednesday, October 20, 2010, By Natalya Bucuy, Correspondent
If you had a stroke or a heart attack in New Hope Borough you might have had to wait up to 14 minutes for an ambulance. Not anymore.
New Hope Borough Council unanimously approved an agreement with Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Squad to locate a unit at the Eagle Fire Station right in the borough at the last council meeting Oct. 19.
According to Council President Sharyn Keiser, the agreement will cut response time down to one minute, as it was proven in a recent incident to which the Central Bucks unit responded.
Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Chief Charles Pressler said up until now the closest Advance Life Support (ALS) unit - an ambulance that has life support equipment, medication and a paramedic - was located in Wrightstown. The great distance and traffic along the way resulted in the 14-minute delay in ambulance response.
Keiser explained that Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad located across the bridge would respond immediately to all emergency calls, but that unit only has Basic Life Support, which does not include any life support equipment.
"It is not responsible to have a 13 to 14 minute response in case of a stroke or a heart attack," Keiser said.
The new agreement will ensure ALS unit coverage every weekday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with possible future coverage on the weekends.??
"Cost of coverage around the clock is sensitive," said Pressler.??
He added that the current agreement has been a year's project. The Central Bucks Squad in collaboration with the Lambertville-New Hope Squad and Eagle Fire Company will utilize available resources without any additional funding.
"The community gains from this collaboration," Pressler said. "We are anticipating financial support from the community in forms of donations."
Cathy Schlager of the board of directors for the Central Bucks Squad said the collaboration has been long coming.
"This is great for New Hope," Schlager said. "The collaboration of the two units is what's important. It's nice to see everyone getting along."
To the Rescue, Faster
By: FREDA R. SAVANA, The Intelligencer
The borough will soon have a much closer ambulance service to respond to emergencies.
New Hope had one of the slowest advanced life support ambulance response times in the region.
Without an emergency facility nearby, it took 13 to 14 minutes for the specialized ambulance to arrive at an emergency, borough council President Sharyn Keiser said Tuesday.
"That was not acceptable," she added. A new partnership with Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue, Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue and Eagle Fire Co. has dramatically improved that response time to about 1 minute, said Central Bucks' Chief, Chuck Pressler.
Within a couple of weeks, an advanced life support unit, which includes a fully equipped Ford Expedition, will be on hand at New Hope's Eagle Fire Co. from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week to handle life-threatening emergencies and transport patients to nearby hospitals. There may be some weekend coverage too, said Pressler, although that depends on funding.
Central Bucks is providing the enhanced coverage and bearing the majority of the cost. Pressler said Solebury, which will also benefit from the closer service, has contributed to the expense, but he was not sure how much.
It was not clear what the cost of having the ALS unit at the Eagle firehouse will be, but Pressler said a full-time ambulance unit with a paramedic costs a half-million dollars a year to operate. He and the other emergency service personnel on hand at the New Hope council meeting said they hope the community will help support the closer unit.
Before locating the unit at the Eagle fire station, an ALS unit had to be dispatched from Central Bucks' Wycombe substation, Pressler said. He applauded Eagle's "stepping up" to help with the added service.
The Expedition will have heart monitors, cardiac medication and intravenous equipment, as well as other lifesaving measures.
Lambertville's squad, which provides basic life support, will continue to respond to less severe calls and assist whenever it's needed, said Pat Pittore, president of the service.
American Red Cross
Ambulance offers a rescue effort of a different kind
By: CHRISTINA KRISTOFIC, The Intelligencer
No one has needed it yet. But if anyone does, it's there.
The Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Unit is working with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross to provide shelter at the ambulance station for individuals and families who have been displaced by fire and other natural disasters.
If there is a disaster in the area, ambulance Chief Chuck Pressler said, "It only makes sense to me that instead of trying to deal with (the victims) on scene, the first chance you get, you extract them from the scene, bring them down here and counsel them in the station - away from the lights and the sirens and all the excitement."
Those people who are displaced by the disaster can stay at the ambulance station - use one of the bunk rooms, the kitchen and the bathrooms - until the Red Cross can find more permanent shelter.
"These are folks from the Bucks County area. If you're impacted in your own neighborhood, you want to stay in that neighborhood," said Donna Palmieri, the chief operating officer for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Red Cross. "This would be a place where they can find comfort."
The arrangement between the ambulance company and the Red Cross is unique for the Red Cross.
Palmieri said her organization frequently works with emergency responders.
"There hasn't been another ambulance (company) that has been able to make an offer to us that if the need was great, we could be in their bunks," Palmieri said.
"The Red Cross is so very, very grateful and thankful to the ambulance (company)."
When the Red Cross relocated its Doylestown office to a building on North Main Street earlier this year, Pressler offered to let the agency use its training room for meetings and training sessions, and keep its vehicles and equipment at the ambulance station.
Pressler took Palmieri and other Red Cross leaders on a tour of the ambulance company, and they started talking about using it as shelter.
"I thought when we were talking and looking at it, 'It would be great if I, as a mom with children, could come into a safe haven like that,' " Palmieri said.
Pressler said the ambulance company hopes to build a second floor on its existing building, which would give it more space to accommodate people in need of shelter - and maybe even for other Red Cross functions. The ambulance company is seeking grant money for the project.
Rhys Blair
Lifesavers honored in Buckingham
Posted in News on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 at 10:45 pm by Bill Devlin
Two-year-old Rhys Blair was in America for only two weeks when his parents said he made
six friends for life.
Actually, it was the life of the curly-haired British toddler that was saved by the six new friends on Sept. 11, the day Rhys nearly drowned in a Buckingham swimming pool.
On Wednesday night, at a meeting of the Buckingham Township Board of Supervisors, three Buckingham police officers and a trio of Central Bucks Ambulance crew members were honored for saving the boy's life.
Police Sgt. J.R. Landis, Officer Christopher Forbes and Officer Timothy Johnson received citations for their quick work in starting CPR when the child was pulled from the pool at a home on Greenridge Road.
Also honored were paramedics Scott Henley and Joseph Hayes and emergency medical technician Andrew Foley. The Central Bucks Ambulance crew members took over the CPR on arrival and were able to get the toddler's airwaves open.
A beaming Buckingham Police Chief Steven Daniels said that members of the staff of Doylestown Hospital said that without the work of these men the 2-year-old would not have survived. Daniels was joined by an aide to Rep. Bernie O'Neill, who was detained in Harrisburg, in presenting commendations to the six men.
But the spotlight belonged to a little blond boy in a red sweater and blue pants, who was the reason everyone had gathered at the township building Wednesday night.
Just three weeks out of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Rhys Blair was every bit an active 2-year-old.
"He's at 100 percent; actually, he's more than 100 percent," said James Blair, who brought his wife, Corinna, and their three children to Buckingham from Herefordshire, England, for a two-year assignment at Johnson & Johnson in Fort Washington.
James Blair told the men that "they were the difference between Rhys being with us or not."
"The reality is that words could not express the magnitude of what you did," he said. "The field work and decision making were absolutely exceptional." Corinna Blair said
when everything first happened they didn't know whether it would be better to take Rhys back to England for treatment.
"But everyone was so wonderful to us," she said. "The hospital was wonderful, and people here in this area were great. They started a prayer chain and were very supportive. I don't know if I could ever thank everyone for what they did."
The Blairs' other children, Alicia, 4, and Hugo, 4 months, also attended the ceremony. Alicia presented the men with thank-you cards and plates that read "You saved my life - You're amazing, Rhys."
From the looks on the faces of six special men, that may have been best "thank you" of all.