EMS

Brattleboro Selectboard Meeting Agenda and Notes – July 19, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

The Brattleboro Selectboard will meet Tuesday, for the most part, to finish what wasn’t completed at their previous meeting. The consent agenda has been updated, but just about everything else is the same.

Of note this week is the change to the item “Resolution on a Woman’s Right to Choose” which is now presented as “Resolution on a Pregnant Persons Access to Abortion,” and that an EMS Update by the Assistant Fire Chief has been added.  You can choose to bring up other items not on the agenda during public participation.

Selectboard Meeting Notes – Much Nothing About Ado

by cgrotke | Town News
selectboard july 5, 2022

It was a really long Brattleboro Selectboard meeting with not much getting done! They heard about downtown safety issues, but took no action. They approved a mural design they couldn’t see. There will be more places to buy liquor. The preferred bridge design was selected. And then it was 10:30 pm with discussions of a woman right to choose and EMT issues, among other things, still awaiting ample discussion. They ended up postponing much of the agenda to a future meeting.

Brattleboro Selectboard – Agenda and Notes July 5, 2022

by cgrotke | Town News

A packed agenda of important items awaits the Brattleboro Selectboard for their first regular meeting of July. It’s going to be a long meeting.

There will be new liquor licenses, Commonwealtth Dairy wants to nearly double its water and sewer use, rental housing fines will be set, and the board will choose a bridge design for Melrose. There will be a discussion of downtown safety and a new mural for High Street. The board will discuss a woman’s right to choose. There are emergency repairs to authorize.

The firefighters get a “recently concluded additional collective bargaining agreement,” and the Fire Chief would like the board to approve additional funds to meet requirements of becoming a paramedic-level service.

But wait, there’s more!  There will be a first reading of a new ordinance regarding wastewater allocation approvals, there will be a new contract for the Interim Town manager, a new street name will be approved, and the FY23 tax rate will be set.

Brattleboro June 23 Letter To Rescue Inc

by cgrotke | Town News

Chief Hazelton & Members of the Rescue Inc. Board, 

On behalf of the Town of Brattleboro, I am writing to follow up from the meeting on June 6, 2022, regarding EMS Mutual Aid. The Town appreciates the many years of excellent service Rescue Inc. has provided to Brattleboro and wishes continued award-winning success for Rescue Inc.’s service to other communities in our region.  We look forward to rebuilding a healthy working relationship between the two entities towards our shared goal of maintaining the health and safety of the people we serve. 

Below our FY23 service plan is outlined, in hopes that this information will clarify the capacity at which we are asking Rescue Inc. to engage in Mutual Aid.  

Brattleboro Meets With Rescue, Asks for Uncompensated Mutual Aid

by Not Signed In | Town News

Rescue Inc Press Release: “Brattleboro – The Brattleboro selectboard sent a request to the Rescue Inc trustees asking for a meeting to discuss mutual aid on May 19th. This was the first communication between the Town and Rescue Inc. since the September 2021 consortium meeting which was attended by then Town Manager Peter Elwell and the Selectboard Chair Elizabeth McLoughlin. The Rescue corporate officers agreed to an early June meeting and replied to the request on May 20th. A June 6th meeting date was confirmed.

Brattleboro’s request for help covering ambulance calls comes after the selectboard unilaterally chose to terminate a 56-year relationship with our nonprofit, community-based organization. This decision was made without any discussions about, or actual consideration of, the impact on the surrounding communities. The Town presented its position during a February 9th meeting when Rescue was told the Town would not pay an assessment fee and that Rescue should provide service for free. The response from Rescue Chief Drew Hazelton rejecting those terms in March has been cited as the reason for the sudden closed door meeting that led to the change in EMS providers.

Brattleboro Selectboard Instructed Town Manager to Take On EMS; Board Warned of Pandora’s Box By Manale

by cgrotke | Town News

When I asked him about his goals back on Jan 20, Town Manager Yoshi Manale spoke of creating more open spaces downtown, being open and transparent, and being flexible while solving problems. No mention of wanting to alter EMS services. Yet the impression one might get from official communications is that a new town manager came to town, took aim at EMS, and is walking away.

But that’s not the full story. First off, the Brattleboro Selectboard told him to take on Rescue.

Both the current and former Chair of the Brattleboro Selectboard have confirmed that Town Manager Manale was not acting solo when it came to Rescue Inc actions and decisions.

Your Handy Brattleboro Fire – EMS – Rescue Timeline 2021-2022

by cgrotke | Town News

It is sometimes helpful to look at information in a timeline format. Thanks to everyone who assisted in piecing this together this list of Brattleboro Fire, Rescue, and EMS items from the past year or so.**

Please note any additions or corrections you feel would clarify in the comments if you’d like. This is an in-progress project and will likely be updated. I’ll note any edits to the main timeline list in the comments.

2021

March 22 – Elizabeth McLoughlin becomes Chair of the Selectboard.

EMS in Brattleboro – On the Agenda Tuesday May 17 Selectboard

by RobertOeser | Town News

It is important that Selectboard members hear from Brattleboro residents on how our Emergency Medical Response service to the town will work, going forward.

A change to the delivery of EMS was agreed to by the Selectboard at the April 19 meeting. This week’s board meeting will cover a proposal for a feasibility study, to include EMS. See item 8 (B) on the attached agenda for this Tuesday, May 17 at 6:15pm. In-person and remote joining details are below.

A general observation –

When the $25,000 for the Fire Department strategic plan was approved in the budget at RTM on March 19 of this year, there was no public indication that Rescue Inc would no longer be providing EMS services. Community input absolutely needs to be a part of any strategic plan for this service, following the example of other towns. Therefore, in this proposed feasibility study, “all options should be on the table.”

Brattleboro Fire Department Named 2018 First Responder Service of the Year

by BrattFireDept | Police & Fire

The Brattleboro Fire Department is proud to announce that we have been named the recipient of the 2018 First Responder Service of the Year Award by the Vermont Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services.

The criteria for this award reads; “This award is intended to recognize Vermont based and licensed EMS organizations for their excellence in operations and service to their communities.