BBVFC Initiates Ambulance Service - Station 70

Thursday, January 8, 2009

The first part of a long and arduous journey ended on Wednesday, December 31, when the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company (BBVFC) began providing ambulance service in its fire district. The new operation is the product of an extraordinary collaboration between the fire company and the Towns of Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island and South Bethany and the Sea Colony Recreation Association, which will fund any operating deficits generated by the new initiative. The homeowners’ associations of Tower Shores, Sussex Shores, Gulls' Nest, Breakwater Beach, King's Grant, Ocean Ridge West and Middlesex Beach also signed on early as voluntary supporters of the initiative. Seven new firefighter/EMTs reported for work on December 3rd and faced a challenging training and preparation schedule. Over the four weeks, each individual, although already a trained and experienced firefighter and EMT, spent 120 hours reviewing critical subject matter and working side-by-side with the company’s volunteers. The program, run by company officers and EMS Supervisor John Fisher, covered BBVFC policies and procedures, communications, self-contained breathing apparatus maintenance and repair, vehicle familiarization and driving, medic assistance, reports, billing and other documentation and computer systems. Field work included four days of pump operator training run by the fire school, a day of live fire work at the its Georgetown facility, a visit to Ocean City’s confined space trailer, trips to the three local hospitals and four surrounding mutual aid fire companies and riding time with the Sussex County paramedic units serving the district. Beyond the formal training, the group also invested considerable time and energy in analyzing how to best organize equipment in the ambulances, installing mandated supplies and equipment and securing required state certification of the units. It was a demanding four weeks, but the consensus is that the desired integration of career staff with volunteers and the development of esprit d’corps within the expanded organization were achieved. The new firefighter/EMTs are a diverse and talented group committed to serving the community: Brent Boyer, 26, was born in Wilmington and graduated from Smyrna HS. He has been a volunteer with the Clayton, Level Cross (NC) and Goshen (PA) fire companies for 10 years, received his EMT-B certification in 2001 and has two years career experience. He previously worked as a machinist for Dupont, is a fishing, boating and Philadelphia sports team enthusiast and lives in Smyrna. Brice Hickman, 47, is well known to local firefighters. He was born in Salisbury, grew up in Dagsboro and attended Indian River HS. He has been a member of the Millville VFC for 32 years and has served as a board member and line officer, including assistant chief. He received his EMT-B certification in the early 90’s, is a certified rescue diver and worked for the last year as a career EMT at Mid-Sussex Rescue. He has an 8 year-old daughter, lives in Millville and operates a landscaping company. Andy Johnson, 35, is also well known to area volunteers. He was born in Lewes, raised in Roxana and attended Indian River HS. He has been a member of the Roxana VFC for 19 years and has been fire chief since 2006. He received his EMT-B certification in the late 1980’s and has worked for the last four years in a career position in Laurel. He lives in Roxana with his wife, Jennifer, and their daughter. Michelle Massey, 35, was born in Wilmington and grew up in Claymont. She graduated from Mt. Pleasant HS and has an AA degree in criminal justice from DelTech and a BS degree in behavioral science from Wilmington College. She joined the Mill Creek fire company in 2003, received her EMT-B certification in 2005 and has 5 years of career experience with the Hockessin, Christiana and Fairfax County (VA) fire companies. She worked for ten years at Home Depot, is an avid softball player and lives in Newark while looking for a local home. Patrick Moses, 30, was born and grew up on the Jersey shore and graduated from Neptune Township HS. He has 15 years volunteer service with NJ companies and four years of career service in NJ and SC. He received his EMT-B certification in 2005 and is a certified diver and ocean rescuer. He has been a beach patrol member and has competed locally and nationally for thirteen years and lives in Middleton while looking for local accommodations. Robert (R.J.) Rhode, 31, was born in Salisbury, grew up in Berlin and attended Stephen Decatur HS. He has 12 years volunteer fire service with the Showell and Ocean City in MD and Gray’s Creek in NC. He received his EMT-B certification in 1999 and has 4 years of career service in NC. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force in 2001 after 6 years of service. He is an avid outdoorsman and lives in Hebron with his wife, Davina, and their three children. James (Bryan) Smith, 43, was born and raised in south Louisiana where he attended high school and Armstrong State and Dalton State Colleges. He has 16 years of volunteer and seven years of career experience, received his EMT certification in the late 1980’s and worked for Dow Chemical for 12 years as a fire brigade captain. He is an Army National Guard combat medic and just returned from a tour of duty in Sadr City, Iraq. He has three daughters, is a muscle car fan and lives in Selbyville. The BBVFC is indebted to numerous individuals and organizations that supported the hiring and training effort. Beyond the company officers and other members who organized and implemented the program, they include State Fire Commissioner and member Doug Murray, State Fire School Director Robert Newnam and Senior Instructor-EMS Programs Bill Walton, Sussex County EMS Director Glenn Luedtke and Paramedic Education Coordinator and member Joe Hopple, past Sussex County Volunteer Firemen’s Association Bill Tobin and the leadership of the Millville Volunteer Fire Company, which provided advice, equipment and ambulance riding time over. Although the first shift went on duty at 0700 Wednesday, the second shift had the honor of the first call, which came Thursday afternoon. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as it was handled without a hitch.