Hoosick Grange News

It was open meeting night on September 26. Marion Hynick introduced Beth Cipperly from the Hoosick Rescue Squad. Beth pretended to burp and patted her chest and acted like she had indigestion. We knew she was showing us signs of a heart attack. She said it affects people differently. Sometimes your arm and jaw ache before a heart attack. Beth said she was an Emergency Medical Service Technician. She told us signs of a heart attack in women are they act very tired. Beth said the first ambulance was an army bus in Cincinnati. Things began to change when doctors talked with squad members and found out they weren’t illiterate, that they could do more than just bandages. During World War II the corpsmen helped soldiers; why couldn’t the squad members learn that too?
In 1953 in September, the Hoosick squad started with $750 dollars and Mr. Mahar’s hearse. He let the squad use the hearse as an ambulance. Their first building was on Second Street. Now their building is on First Street. President Johnson in 1965 nationalized the Emergency Medical System. E.M.S. in the beginning E.M.T. were trained in C.P.R., bandaging and ice packs, later in blood pressure and stethoscope and leg splints.
In 1972 T.V. shows showed certified E.M.T.s using oxygen and C.P.R. Then house numbers were used on houses. That was very helpful and quicker. The Grange did the house numbering. In 1970 they had one E.M.T. who had 60 hours of training, and that was Bill Gaillard. It was then that doctors who worked with E.M.S. thought they could do more with defibrillators. That took 100 hours of training. Then they got radios with a dispatcher; they could communicate with hospitals and doctors. Beth said the biggest change in five years is drugs. With all the different medicines and drugs they have to have 168 hours of training. Beth said they need a new law. If you are drinking and driving and you have an accident and you leave the scene or you get a D.W.I., you get six points on your driver’s license and ten hours in the emergency room. She said more accidents are from texting.
Beth joined the Junior Squad at 16 years old. She now has 29 years on the squad. The Squad has been going 70 years.
Everyone thanked Beth for a very educational program. Everyone learned something about the squad.
Our next meeting is on October 10. We will finish planning our new book. Elsie Marpe is in charge of some program. The refreshment Committee is Edna and Allen Cornell.