by Bea Peterson
On Saturday, March 3, Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad President Bill Gaillard spent part of his afternoon talking with residents of the Wood Bridge and Wood Park apartments about the Squad and about stroke and heart attack warning signs.
History
Gaillard spoke about the “old days” when the Squad had 48 members who received calls over the telephone. Ambulances were minimally priced and training was also minimal. Today the Squad has 20 members who are reached by pagers. Every ambulance has to have specific equipment, and an Emergency Medical Technician has to ride in back with the patient. Today an ambulance and equipment costs at least $175,000. For the ease of Squad members and the comfort of patients, the ambulances have a $12,000 hydraulic bed. They also have stair chairs that make it much easier to get a patient down a flight of stairs.
Each ambulance has a huge oxygen tank that costs another $12,000. They have defibrillators and epi pens and other emergency equipment. Today the EMTs, who undergo 170 hours of training, can talk directly to the hospital while they are in route.
Accidents have changed as well, Gaillard said. Thanks to air bags, seat belts and stronger DWI laws, there are fewer driving accidents. Most are far less horrific than 30 or 40 years ago.
Stroke Signs
Gaillard described two types of strokes. With one type there is a new wonder drug that can almost cure the stroke, but the drug must be administered within four hours. Since the Bennington hospital does not have a full time neurologist, patients must be taken to either the Troy or Albany Stroke Centers.
Just a few stroke signs include a crooked smile, slurred words, dizziness and the inability to lift both arms straight out in front.
Heart attacks are different. While men may have the classic chest pains and shortness of breath, women may feel lightheaded and have pain in their shoulders, neck or jaw. Diabetics may have a different set of symptoms. The important thing is “If you have pain or don’t feel right,” said Gaillard, “call for help.”
Insurance Billed
Gaillard said in order to support the volunteer Rescue Squad and its equipment, they have signed with a company that bills a patient’s insurance company for the cost of the ambulance ride. “We accept whatever the insurance company gives us,” he said. “And that’s it.”
A medivac helicopter flight, by the way, is $25,000, not counting the cost of fuel.
Should the number of Rescue Squad volunteers continue to decline, the Town may have to resort to having paid EMTs. That could cost the taxpayers $200,000 a year, Gaillard said.
With volunteers and the insurance payment system now in use, only the people who use the ambulance pay.