West Essex FAS?

[W2IRT]

I've had the West Essex First Aid Squad in my radios for quite a while and I can't think of the last time I heard a transmission from them on 155.325/PL186.2. Is that still in use or have they abandoned it entirely and just use the West Caldwell PD channel for all ops?

Also, I can't seem to find any info on Atlantic Ambulance, which I believe services Fairfield. Any info available there?

Finally, to close off this EMS thread, are comms between ALS or BLS crews and hospital bases now all done via cellphone (with patient condition, med orders, etc) or is there a monitorable 2-way system in use that I could program up?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Markscan]

West Essex will use their channel when there is a large incident going on like a working fire. As for Atlantic ambulance , they are active on Fairfield's talk group on NJICS. Not to sure about the rest.

 

[SCPD]

Paramedics in New Jersey will use a cell phone to call the hospital doctor with patient conditions and request medications etc. BLS continues to use JEMS 2 at 155.3400 to call in patient care reports.

 

[Alarmguy]

I hear West Essex First Aid Squad getting paged in the North West Bergen Area on 158.9400 141.3, this only started occuring within the past year or 2. Caldwell and East Hanover and Essex Fells could be heard on there with it in PL search as well.

 

[mabell]

WEFAS

WEFAS only uses their channel during large operations as we use the police freq. for normal comms. WEFAS is toned out on the municipal band since Jan 2014. Atlantic is dispatched by MONOC both ALS and BLS 155.355 186.2.

 

[mondaro]

hello,

can you confirm the freq and tone west essex gets toned out and operates on ? also what are there
radio ids they use when communicating with dispatch.

Thanks

 

[Markscan]

West Essex is toned out on 158.940 pl 141.3 . They operate on 159.150 pl 141.3 . They utilize 771-779 as their id's. 773 is heavy rescue and 779 is their support vehicle. All the others are ambulances.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[mabell]

Actually, 771,772,774,and 775 are Ambulances. 776 is the Captain, 777 is Senior Night Lt. and 778 is the Senior Day Lt.

 

[W2IRT]

Does WEFAS operate ALS and have actual paramedics are are they just BLS and the heavy rescue? Since I'm in their area (and not exactly in prime physical condition) I've always wondered whether full ALS was available in West Caldwell. As it is, the drive to Mountainside along Bloomfield Avenue is 20-30 minutes is bad enough. I'd like to think if a patient codes in heavy traffic they have a real chance.

 

[mabell]

WEFAS

WEFAS is BLS and Rescue. ALS is dispatched at the same time if needed. They respond from usually Mountainside (Medic 7& 8 or St. Barnabas (Medic 254 or 4). Medic 8 used to respond from WEFAS several years ago, but no more. Apparently, there are more calls to the east.

 

[W2IRT]

So what's the dispatch protocol in that case? Say someone here has a heart attack and calls 911. It's received in West Caldwell as a critical care case (unconscious, not breathing, etc). They tone out WEFAS for BLS transport, but how is that message relayed to ALS? Medic 7/8 or 254, etc, Whose equipment is that? Atlantic? MONOC? I'm really confused here.

And speaking as one would may someday need that service, holy mackerel....20 minutes FROM Mountainside (in almost-never-light traffic) for MICU care. Wow.

 

[mabell]

WEFAS

Any call meeting ALS callout is transferred to MONOC. BLS and closest ALS are dispatched at the same time along with Police ESU. ESU are Police EMTs, and remember, BLS does more then just transport.We were around long before Medics.Responce time is usually around 5-10 minutes for BLS/ALS.

 

[W2IRT]

Good to know about the PD ESUs being trained EMTs; that's a bit of a relief. And I certainly didn't wish to diminish the role of BLS guys--farfrom it! But with that said, in a coronary case, a GSW, an accidental electrocution or a massive car wreck, things like intubations, defibrillators, meds and IVs (and probably a bunch of stuff I don't know all about as I'm not in the industry), I'm guessing those things aren't handled by anybody other than actual ALS crews. And in the case of Caldwell, North Caldwell, West Caldwell or Fairfield, if the nearest MICU is parked at Mountainside, I can't see a 5-10 minute response from the east end of Montclair up to Mountain Avenue or KCDW. I really hope my supposition is wrong.

As for radio-related stuff, then, I got the ALS dispatch frequencies of 155.355 and 451.475 and their associated PLs, and both are definitely monitorable from my part of the county, so there's that. The final (?) piece of the puzzle then is after the dispatch, where would the responding crews be listening to get updates as they continue to the scene? I've heard the WEFAS crews on the PD channel, but I'm more interested in the ALS guys here.

Thanks again for the info and thanks for to all the vollies out there for their selfless services!

 

[mabell]

WEFAS

Actually, all those scenarios you mentioned are in fact handled by BLS. ALS will then take over medical control on arrival.We do all the dirty work. We work very well together. When ALS is dispatched, they will usually go on the frequency of the town they are responding to. Come on down this evening, I'm on duty. I'll give you the nickle tour.

 

[W2IRT]

Cool; I'd like that. WEFAS HQ on Bloomfield?

 

[mabell]

WEFAS

Yup!

 

[W2IRT]

Thanks for the tour -- greatly appreciated and you cleared up a bunch of stuff.

One last question, I notice that when PD tones you out, sometimes there's a single two-tone group and sometimes two 2-tone groups are sent. Both with the same first tone, but the 2nd one has a slightly lower pitch to it. Is one for an EMT and one for a driver, or one for all crew and one for an officer or perhaps something else?

 

[mabell]

There are 4 tones. 91= first call crew. 92= second call crew. 9= additional manpower needed.( you hear alot of these daytime) 93= general mobilization. Usually extrication or fire. Everyone goes. Clear as mud?

 

[W2IRT]

So far I've only decoded two sets of tones and I'm curious as to how these translate to the pagers they crew carries. Do they trigger on all four sets of 2-tones?

 

[mondaro]

Atlantic Ambulance has put up a Medic 6 now stationed in West Caldwell.