Rebuilding Together 2021

On Saturday, April 24th, 2021, Ambulance Service of Manchester employees, friends, and family members will participate in the Town of Manchester’s 29th annual Rebuilding Together Event. The “First-Responder Group” will be led by Tim Lachappelle and will make up only a small portion of volunteers as nearly 1200 individuals registered for the workday. If you are interested in participating please contact Tim Lachappelle, ASM Team Leader for details.

REBUILDING TOGETHER is part of a National non-profit organization called Rebuilding Together. The goal of this organization is to bring communities together in efforts to assist those in need of general home repair and improvements.

This is a volunteer organization that, in partnership with the community, rehabilitates the houses of low-income homeowners. The program targets the elderly, disabled and families with children, so they may continue to live in warmth, safety, and independence. REBUILDING TOGETHER is a nonprofit, non-sectarian organization supported entirely by voluntary contributions of time and money. After months of planning and preparation, the program culminates on a National rebuilding usually the last Saturday in April. All repairs are completed on that one day. 

ECHN Lifesaving Award

MANCHESTER – On Friday, January 29th, the ECHN Lifesaving award was given to members of Manchester Fire & Rescue, and Ambulance Service of Manchester. Awards were presented to:


ASM EMT, Timothy Gunnoud
MFRE Firefighter/Paramedic, Bryan Mathiau
ASM EMT, Ileana Morales
MFRE Fire Lieutenant, Moria Perez

Dr. Alyssa Sexton EMS Medical Director and Marge Letitia EMS Clinical Coordinator presented the Life-Saving award for a December call that resulted in the confirmed resuscitation of a patient. Ambulance Service of Manchester would like to congratulate everyone involved.

ASM Blood Drive Results

MANCHESTER- On Thursday, December 31st, 2020 ASM hosted its sixth American Red Cross Blood Drive at ASM’s headquarters. Numerous employees, friends, and family members participated in the day-long event. Aetna and ASM have committed to hosting a drive twice a year.

A note from the Red Cross:

Thank you for helping to save lives with the American Red Cross. When you made the commitment to sponsor a blood drive, you helped save lives. Your efforts have helped boost the community blood supply and ensure hospital patients have the lifesaving blood they need.

Your Recent Blood Drive Results: Your blood drive registered 28 donors and collected 25 pints of blood. The donations collected will help 75 hospital patients with blood, plasma and platelets.

Thank you for your gifts of time and support. We truly appreciate your generosity. The patients who have benefited from the blood collected at your blood drive are beyond grateful.

ASM to Host New Year’s Eve American Red Cross Blood Drive

MANCHESTER- On Thursday, December 31st, 2020 Ambulance Service of Manchester will host our sixth American Red Cross Blood Drive at ASM’s headquarters. Employees, friends, family, and community members are welcome to participate. Please click on the link below to register in advance.  

CLICK HERE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

ECHN First Responders Day Celebration

ECHN was honored to host a First Responder’s Day celebration on October 28th, 2020 at Manchester Memorial Hospital. We are grateful for our First Responder’s commitment to serving and protecting people within our community and thank them for their endless dedication and bravery. They are an integral part of our healthcare team and we are proud to have them as partners!

Tiffany Gelsomino,

Director of Business Development, ECHN

ASM to Host American Red Cross Blood Drive

MANCHESTER- On Monday, October 16th, 2020 Ambulance Service of Manchester will host our fifth American Red Cross Blood Drive at ASM’s headquarters. Employees, friends, family, and community members are welcome to participate. Please click on the link below to register in advance.  

CLICK HERE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Cleared for Independent Dispatch

n 2015 I was hired at ASM as an EMT. This allowed me to practice my skills and transition into the role of a paramedic student at Capital Community College. After my graduation from the paramedic program I was able to begin precepting. I enjoyed the opportunity to work alongside Josh, Tim, Dave, and Matt over the course of several weeks to gain practice in the field and work towards independent dispatch. Their wealth of knowledge and consistent encouragement, paired with a variety of calls, allowed me to push myself, grow and learn. Their support, as well as my coworkers, has now allowed me to confidently start my work as an independent paramedic.

Cleared for Independent Dispatch: ASM’s Amie Lacasse Completes Precepting Phase

MANCHESTER – As of July 8th, 2020, ASM’s Amie Lacasse has been cleared by Eastern Connecticut Health Network medical control for independent dispatch as a paramedic to the towns that ASM serves. Amie was hired at the Ambulance Service of Manchester in December of 2017 and completed her Paramedic training through Capital Community Colleges Paramedic Program. Amie’s preceptors were Paramedic Supervisor Bob O’Neil and Paramedic Dave White.

As with all precepting phases at ASM, Amie’s final approval came from Eastern Connecticut Health Network after shadowing her in the field as they responded to emergency calls. On behalf of the ASM Family, we would like to wish Amie the best of luck and say we are very proud to have such skilled professionals on staff.

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.

ASM Receives Thanks During EMS Week!

ASM would like to thank Kevin McMahon and Community Child Guidance Clinic (CCGC) for providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the crews this past Tuesday. This was a great surprise, especially during EMS week. Over the last year, ASM has developed a partnership with CCGC to improve the relationships with both students and faculty. CCGC supports children with emotional and behavior issues by providing special education day school and a system of child and family-focused mental health services.

Thank you for thinking of us CCGC and Happy EMS Week to all!

Cleared for Independent Dispatch: ASM’s Spencer Shirshac Completes Precepting Phase

MANCHESTER – As of May 5th, 2020, ASM’s Spencer Shirshac has been cleared by Eastern Connecticut Health Network medical control for independent dispatch as a paramedic to the towns that ASM serves. Spencer was hired at the Ambulance Service of Manchester in June of 2011 and completed his Paramedic training at Capital Community College. Spencer’s preceptors were Paramedic Supervisor Josh Traber and Paramedic Scott Crittenden.

On behalf of the ASM Family, we would like to wish Spencer the best of luck and say we are very proud to have such skilled professionals on staff.

ASM Participates in WCMH Staff Recognition Parade

On Friday April 17th, 2020, Ambulance Service of Manchester attended a hospital recognition parade to demonstrate appreciation for employees of Windham Hospital. Several local first responder agencies displayed their support for hospital staff members working day and night on the front lines of the pandemic.