Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 6/6/2022
HARDWICK – Hardwick Ambulance is looking for resident feedback regarding emergency medical services (EMS) in town.
Raymond Walker, fire chief, said starting next month, West Brookfield will be taking over the emergency medical services from Ware. He explained that this helps lower the costs for the towns, as it is split between them.
Currently in Hardwick, Walker said there are only two emergency medical technicians (EMT) on staff.
With the survey, they are hoping to gauge the town’s interest in EMS care and coverage. Another purpose is to gauge interest in town residents becoming emergency medical technician basics (EMT-B) as they need more.
Walker said an Ambulance Committee put together the survey, which consists of 10 multiple choice questions. Some of the questions have a rating scale for the importance of EMS coverage, raising the tax rate for an EMS service, the importance of having an EMS service provided by the town of Hardwick and more.
If a resident indicates that they are interested in becoming an EMT, Walker said they will be contacted through the email address they provided at the beginning of the survey. He added that the town will pay for the EMT course and help fill the slots.
In one week of posting the survey, Walker said they received over 20 responses. The month-long survey will be open until mid-June. Of these responses, Walker said about 60 to 70 percent were men in favor of having a service in town rather than out of town.
All of the survey results are going directly to the deputy. Once it closes, Walker said the data will go to the Management Board and ultimately the Board of Selectmen.
Walker described this survey as “a place to start,” as relying on other towns is “getting hard.”
He noted that they are currently paying roughly $120,000 for other towns’ help, when the money could be “spent better” within Hardwick.
Reminder Publishing will provide additional information on the EMS survey once results have been reviewed.