Stanford’s Volunteer EMTs Return to Duty with New Rescue Squad

On Monday nights, volunteers from the Stanford Fire Company assemble for “truck check,” a meticulous inspection of emergency vehicle engines, pumps, lights and sirens. But this week, the routine was interrupted by a 911 call, and members of the newly formed Basic Life Support Fire and Rescue (BLSFR) service sprang into action. 

Two years ago, Stanford’s rescue squad disbanded, crippled by a shortage of volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Advised by the fire company and its commissioners, the town contracted Northern Dutchess Paramedics EMS to staff a basic life support ambulance, stationed 24/7 in Stanfordville. NDP answers all district 911 calls, and is responsible for the treatment and transport of critically ill residents.

But a handful of local volunteer EMTs wanted to continue providing emergency medical care to their neighbors as well as any necessary assistance to NDP. So in October, the BLSFR squad was established, announced by Town Supervisor Wendy Burton at the Oct. 10 town board meeting. “I am so grateful that we have volunteers in our fire company that are dedicated to helping our community when someone is in distress,” Burton said. “We are lucky to have them.”

According to Stanford Fire Chief Ed Cerul, the service costs the town nothing extra. “Our EMTs are volunteers; they are rock stars,” he said. “We no longer have ambulances in service to transport patients, but we have a few remaining EMT members who are capable of responding to EMS dispatches in our district.”

Now when a 911 call is received by Dutchess County dispatchers in Poughkeepsie, the BLSFR volunteer EMTs are paged simultaneously with NDP. The Stanford squad members may be the first to arrive and start treatment at the scene; once the NDP ambulance arrives, the volunteers’ role becomes secondary unless requested to assist with transport to the hospital.

“Rural fire departments in the US have struggled with the precipitous decline in the number of volunteers in the past few years, impacting EMS most severely,” said Cerul. “Stanford Fire Company is no exception. Years ago, we had more than 20 volunteers. Now we just made it back up to seven.”

Cerul said that the emotional toll of emergency work, tough training and long hours — often late into the night — has made it hard to attract and keep EMTs. “It’s an enormous amount of work,” he said. “Our volunteers have full-time outside jobs. An average call takes three to four hours, so if you answer a dispatch at 3 a.m., that’s the start of your day.”

But according to Cerul, the thought of having no volunteer EMS squad was difficult to endure. “Serving the community this way has been our tradition,” he said. “The fire company wanted to maintain that legacy.” Now with the formation of the BLSFR service, residents receive care both from squad members and from NDP.

BLSFR volunteer EMTs range in age from a 19-year-old just completing her training to an 80-year-old veteran. Marris Seebruch, whose son was with her Monday night, volunteers because “people need help.” A full-time paramedic with NDP, Seebruch said that more EMTs are badly needed, adding, “We’re always in demand.”

Cerul said that in order to increase their numbers, change is needed. “It’s an ongoing fight,” he said. “Calls need to be streamlined so the time commitment isn’t so great, like less paperwork and shorter hospital wait times.” Cerul cited an uptick in non-emergent calls as another drain on staff and resources. ”We’ve been dispatched for questions about medication and transport requests to medical facilities,” he said. “But if someone calls 911, we have to go.”

Retired Stanford fire chief Bob Stramm, who recently celebrated 50 years of fire service, still donates his time to help out at medical emergencies. “I love our town, and this work needs to be done,” he said. “I’ll volunteer until I die.”