First Responders Category

Category: First Responders

Newtown Ambulance Squad Will Comply Fully with Health Disaster Emergency

Will Distribute Narcan as Needed to “At-Risk” Patients

On January 10, 2018, Governor Tom Wolf declared a 90-day health disaster emergency to deal with the opioid crisis (see here). The declaration allows EMS personnel to leave behind naloxone (tradename: Narcan) for “at-risk” patients who refuse to be hospitalized and EMS agencies that elect to do so must also provide the person with specific instructions to follow, as well as the package insert for directions on how to administer naloxone.

According to Evan Resnikoff, Chief of Operations for the Newtown Ambulance Squad (NAS), the type of naloxone NAS carries is in a form that is for healthcare provider use only and funding for naxolone packages suitable for consumer use was not available from the Commonwealth when the declaration first went into effect. Consequently, NAS stated that it would not participate in this program unless funding is available to purchase the proper dosage form of naloxone, which costs about $50 per dose retail.

Therefore, as a Newtown Supervisor, I was prepared to make a motion that the Township set aside a special fund for use by the Newtown Ambulance Squad to (1) purchase dosage forms of Narcan appropriate for use by laypeople when those doses are not available for free from other sources and (2) pay, as needed, for educational programs such as, but not limited to, training residents in the use of Narcan.

This would not have been unprecedented. Recall that at the January 10, 2018, Board of Supervisors meeting, Township Manager Kurt Ferguson stated that he could “administratively approve expenditure in the several thousand dollar range” to cover the cost of Narcan for the Police Department should Bucks County no longer supplied free Narcan to Department (see here).

Fortunately, funding became available and on January 24, 2018, Mr. Resnikoff informed the Newtown Board of Supervisors that his Squad will participate fully in PA's Health Emergency Declaration program and leave behind Narcan for at-risk patients who refuse to be hospitalized (see video below).

Support the Newtown Ambulance Squad

I recently subscribed to the Newtown Ambulance Squad by making a household donation of $60.

Resnikoff and Mack — John Mack (R) hands subscription check over to Evan Resnikoff (L), Chief of Operations, Newtown Ambulance Squad.

I hope I never need the services of the Squad, but if I do, it's good to know that my contribution - which is tax deductible - will cover any costs, even the insurance co-pay. Donations like this, which make up about 5% of the Squad's revenue, help cover the costs of the squad. But more is needed as costs keep rising and calls for drug overdoses balloon (read "Newtown Ambulance Squad Seeks Additional Funding").

The subscription drive is mailed annually to all households in the Squad's primary service area, which includes all of Newtown Township, Newtown Boro, Northampton Township in select sections of Holland, and very small parts of Upper Makefield and Lower Makefield Townships. Look in you mailbox and consider subscribing!

In addition to help fund operations and equipment needs, your tax-deductible donation ensures coverage of your insurance deductible or co-pay in the event you should need service.

For more information, visit the Newtown Ambulance Squad website: http://www.newtownambulance.org/

Some Bucks Towns Opt for Volunteer Stipends

Act 172 of 2016 allows municipalities to offer tax exemptions to emergency volunteers and some Bucks County towns are passing resolutions offering a stipend to fire and ambulance companies (see Courier Times article below). Newtown is not among the towns mentioned in the article. Recently Evan Resnikoff, Chief of Operations of the Newtown Ambulance Squad requested a 0.5 mill tax increase (read "Newtown Ambulance Squad Seeks Additional Funding").