Advanced Life Support Services Begin in Sudbury

Sudbury’s Fire Department for years has offered basic life support services by its personnel, while Advanced Life Services (ALS) were provided without fee to surrounding communities by paramedics employed by Emerson Hospital in Concord. 

On Nov. 1, that changed as the Sudbury Fire Department ambulance service began offering ALS. 

“This is an important milestone for the Sudbury Fire Department, and it reflects the vision of the Sudbury Board of Selectmen to vote to establish ALS services as part of the Fire Department’s mission, as well as the dedication of Sudbury Fire Chief Bill Miles, and before him retired Chief Ken MacLean, to bring this enhanced level of emergency medical services to Sudbury,” said Town Manager Maureen Valente.

In 2010, Emerson Hospital could no longer provide this free service, and the Sudbury Board of Selectmen made the decision to pursue a license for the Sudbury Fire Department to be able to upgrade its medical license to Advanced Life Support standards. 

“ALS is a higher level of care,” said Fire Chief Bill Miles. “Paramedics can perform advanced life saving skills such as airway management, cardiac intervention, and IV medication administration." 

The Sudbury Fire ALS program is under the medical direction of Dr. Emily Groom of Metrowest Medical Center.

Of Sudbury’s 32 firefighters, 22 are EMTs and 10 are paramedics. Two of Sudbury’s EMTs are training to become paramedics. Once they are fully trained and licensed, Sudbury will have 12 paramedics, 3 on each of its four work groups.

“This accomplishment could not have occurred without the efforts of many people,” Miles said. "There was a great deal of cooperation between Town officials, department personnel, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office of Emergency Medical Services.”