GOSHEN, MA – Goshen firefighters respond to every medical emergency call in our community. Oftentimes, we arrive on scene before ambulance personnel and have the ability to relay critical information to them when necessary.
In a typical scenario, operators at our dispatch center in the State Police barracks in Northampton pre-screen 911 callers to collect details on the reason for the call.
We will then be notified by dispatch is if there is reason to believe that the caller is exhibiting flu like symptoms.
In order to protect both patients and first responders, if we arrive on scene before the ambulance, our new protocol will be to knock on the door and wait for someone to answer. When they do, we will stand back to keep a safe distance between the occupant(s) of the residence and us. We will then begin to assess the patient verbally and let them know that the ambulance is on the way. Our new protocol calls for us to remain outside the residence until ambulance personnel arrive.
If the situation requires us to go into the building, we will put on protective gloves, masks and eye protection.
We feel that this is the best way to protect both ourselves as first responders as well as the patient we are there to help.
