The North Haven Fire Department is the Primary Service Area Responder (PSAR) with a contract for services in place through Nelson Ambulance. Multiple Paramedics are staffed on-duty by the North Haven Fire Department to respond to EMS incidents throughout town. The North Haven Fire Department is dispatched simultaneously to all EMS incidents in town in conjunction with Nelson Ambulance if a fire department resource is needed. An overwhelming majority of the time, the North Haven Fire department arrives on scene first to provide emergency medical care while awaiting the arrival of an ambulance.
Several times each month an on-duty Paramedic has to commit to the ambulance in order to continue with patient care due to the severe nature of the incident. Additional or simultaneous calls for service are answered by all fire apparatus depending on the location and nature of the incident.
State Regulations
The Department of Fire Service is certified by the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health – Office of Emergency Medical Services (CT-OEMS) to provide basic and advanced life support to EMS incidents. This service is administered through the use of a first response Fire Rescue Paramedic Unit, a BLS Engine Company, and a BLS Truck Company operating at the EMT level.
In accordance with State Health Department Regulations, personnel are certified to the levels of Paramedic or Emergency Medical Technician Basic (EMT-B). The re-certification of the membership is administered pursuant to OEMS Regulations.
Each vehicle utilized as a first response unit is equipped with the minimum level of supplies as required by CT-OEMS license requirements. All first response units are equipped with automatic external cardiac defibrillators.
Requests for emergency medical assistance are channeled through the Town’s Dispatch Center that is operated by certified tele-communicators within Police Headquarters; daily supervision of the center is through the command staff of the Police Department. Following standardized “Emergency Medical Dispatch” protocols, first responder and or paramedic units are dispatched to EMS incidents. Fire and EMS personnel are authorized and guided by medical direction under procedures and protocols from the New Haven Sponsor Hospital Program.