Riverside Health & Rehabilitation Hosts Breakfast for First Responders

EAST HARTFORD – On Tuesday, September 29th, 2020, Riverside Health Care organized a drive-through breakfast for local First Responders. Administrator Karen Chadderton, along with her team put together the event to show support and appreciation for Police, Fire, and EMS. Breakfast consisted of hot sandwiches, fresh fruit cups, and of course, lots of coffee. Ambulance Service of Manchester, East Hartford Fire Department, and East Hartford Police Department crews rotated through while observing social distancing protocols. ASM would like to thank Ms. Chadderton, Michael Bernardi, Laura Fault, and Maggie Roane for the well-planned and thoughtful gesture.

Aetna Celebrates 75 Years

Aetna Ambulance Service, Inc. was founded in 1945 by the remarkable Grady brothers in response to the Hartford Circus Fire on July 6, 1944, a tragedy that claimed over 100 lives and injured hundreds. Brothers Herman and Howard Grady later joined by their wives Jean and Ethel Grady founded the company, creating one of the first minority-owned ambulance services in the country. The successful business has continued to fulfill a vital public service while retaining it’s rich diversity and exceptional medical care. It is a point of pride for Aetna employees we continue this tradition to the present day. uAt a time when World War ll was still in progress, the arrival of the Barnum and Bailey Circus was a big event with no exception to the city of Hartford. The attraction provided excitement in difficult times. The crowd was made up of mostly women and children as many of the men were away fighting in the war. The large Circus tents were set up on Barbour Street in Hartford. At the time the tents were made out of canvas and it was common to use paraffin, a combustible material, to make them water repellent. The fire led to the national prohibition of canvas tents coated with paraffin. uBrothers Herman and Howard Grady had both been Corpsmen in the Navy where they trained in first aid that would prove valuable in treating and caring for the injured. The Grady Family owned a flower shop on Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford and would later run Aetna Ambulance out of their family home. At a time before television, people listened to the radio and when word of the fire was announced, a call went out for anyone with a truck or vehicle to respond to the scene to help transport the injured to the hospital. The Grady family immediately used their delivery van to assist and transported many. The Grady Family was deeply moved by the tragic event and the great loss of life in the Circus fire. They recognized a need for a full-time ambulance company in Hartford and went on to start their own in 1945, more than 10 years before the civil rights movement took hold in America. They possessed a deep commitment to help those in need, commonly being called out of family events, holiday dinners in inclement weather. The Grady’s also taught first aid classes to help educate others and serve their community. Aetna is proud of its dedication to Emergency Medical Services and it’s distinction in medical transportation.

CT Children’s and State Police Toy Drive in Pictures – 2019

The 2019 “Stuff a Cruiser” Toy Drive was again a great success. Below you will find a collage of pictures from the days spent collecting toys for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Thank you to ASM and Aetna employees, friends and families for their continued involvement and dedication to this event.

STATE POLICE “STUFF A CRUISER” TOY DRIVE

Schedule your holiday shopping and throw a few extra toys in the cart for the kids at Connecticut Children’s!

Schedule:

Thursday, December 12th, 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Friday, December 13th, 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Saturday, December 14th, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
Sunday, December 15th, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Locations:

Walmart Manchester – 420 Buckland Hills Dr, Manchester, CT

Walmart East Windsor – 44 Prospect Hill Rd, East Windsor, CT

Walmart Newington– 3164 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06111

Walmart Rocky Hill: 80 Town Line Rd, Rocky Hill, CT 06067

Team ASM-Aetna Supports World Pancreatic Cancer Day

Team ASM-Aetna, under direction of our Reimbursement Manager and Chair of PurpleStride CT ( Affiliate of Pancreatic Cancer Action Network), Amy Griskus, wore purple today to help raise awareness about the disease. To learn more about World Pancreatic Cancer today, CLICK HERE. Don’t forget to register for the PurpleStride Run/Walk this coming June. More information to come once event registration opens!

No Shave November 2019!

No Shave November is officially here! ASM and Aetna are encouraging employees to put down their razors in an effort to raise awareness for men’s health!

Official Rules for Team ASM-Aetna

  • Road personnel are required to follow all OSHA requirements and adhere to the grooming policies outlined in the ASM and Aetna employee manuals.
  • One “Beard” Team Captain from ASM and one “Beard” Team Captain from Aetna will be selected based on popular vote at month end.
  • Alternates from each company will selected following results in the same fashion.
  • Anonymous votes will be collected inside dispatch at 10-1 for ASM and Station A for Aetna.
  • Prizes for the four respective winners will be distributed by the management team in early December.
  • ASM and Aetna will be contributing to the Movember Foundation at the end of the month.Employees, family members and friendshave the opportunity to contribute as well by following the link to Team ASM-Aetna provided below.

To learn more about the cause and donate to the Movember Foundation please:

CLICK HERE!

Aetna Returns to Hartford Yard Goats Halloween Event!

HARTFORD- On Sunday, October 27th, Aetna Ambulance, along with numerous local sponsors, participated in “Connecticut’s largest Halloween Trick or Treat” community event at  Dunkin’ Donuts Park. Thousands of children and families attended the second annual event.

Meet the Newest Members of the Team: Aetna Hires Six – 2019

HARTFORD — On October 16th, 2019, one paramedic and five EMTs were added to the Aetna team. As part of our continued growth, Aetna and ASM seek out only the best candidates. We look for employees who are focused on high-quality patient care, are team oriented and conduct themselves in a professional manner. During the orientation, employees learn about company philosophy and goals, quality assurance, and policies and procedures.

ASM & Aetna Join the Fight Against Breast Cancer-2019

Year three fundraising for Team ASM-Aetna was a great success. Through the efforts of our employees, family members, and friends, we were able to raise a total of $2,280 for Breast Cancer Research. In addition, Team ASM-Aetna returned for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk this past Sunday, at Bushnell Park in downtown Hartford. Thank you to everyone involved for your generous contributions and dedication to the cause.


Team ASM-Aetna at Greater Hartford Walk to Defeat ALS

EAST HARTFORD- On Sunday, September 29th, employees, friends and family members from Aetna Ambulance Service and Ambulance Service of Manchester volunteered at the 2019 Greater Hartford Walk to Defeat ALS. The event was held at Rentschler Field. Team ASM-Aetna members worked in registration and in the food and refreshment booths to support walkers and assist with the day’s overall success.

Meet the Newest Members of the Team: Aetna Hires eight – 2019

HARTFORD — On August 26th, 2019, eight EMTs were added to the Aetna team. As part of our continued growth, Aetna and ASM seek out only the best candidates. We look for employees who are focused on high-quality patient care, are team oriented and conduct themselves in a professional manner. During the orientation, employees learn about company philosophy and goals, quality assurance, and policies and procedures.


ASM & Aetna Attend Yard Goats First Responder’s Game

HARTFORD- On Monday August 28th, 2019, employees from the Ambulance Service of Manchester and Aetna Ambulance enjoyed a night of baseball honoring “First Responder’s”. A Post Size American Flag was brought out on the field as part of the Pre-Game festivities and served as a visual expression of support, during the playing of our National Anthem. The Yard Goats pulled off an impressive win over the Harrisburg Senators (5–1).

Cleared for Independent Dispatch: Aetna’s Wayne Buckley Completes Precepting Phase

HARTFORD – As of July 15th, 2019, Wayne Buckley has been cleared by Hartford Hospital medical control for independent dispatch as a paramedic to the towns that Aetna serves. Wayne started at Aetna in August of 2018. His preceptor was Paramedic Amanda Kneipfer. Wayne offered the following sentiment:

“My name is Wayne Buckley, I was originally hired part time as an EMT-B at Aetna Ambulance Service.  My roots began as an EMT with Rocky Hill Volunteer Ambulance Service where I spent a little over five years, as well as volunteering with Glastonbury’s Service. I Graduated from Hartford Hospitals Paramedic Program and recently finished my precepting phase of my education under the tutelage of Paramedic Amanda Kneipfer. I have known Amanda since before my time at Aetna and felt as a preceptor she was knowledgeable and enthusiastic when it came to pulling the best medicine out of her students. I am truly fortunate to have had Amanda as my preceptor and am looking forward to working with the wide variety of people at Aetna Ambulance as well as serving the Community.”

As with all precepting phases at Aetna, Wayne’s final approval came from Hartford Hospital after shadowing him and his preceptor in the field as they responded to emergency calls. On behalf of the Aetna Family, we would like to wish Wayne the best of luck and say we are very proud to have such skilled professionals on staff.