On September 27, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps (NVAC) received a new ambulance. The new rig is a sleek PL Custom Type III ambulance complete with two radios in the back, plenty of room for patient care, and a LifePak35.

This new ambulance replaced one of the older rigs that was lugging around about 175,000 miles, and is the first of four to come. The ambulance took two and a half years to get to NVAC, and another is coming soon. Scott Cicciari, assistant chief of NVAC, said that two more are to come in 2027.

“[We were] trying to figure out where we wanted to land to standardize our fleet because our fleet’s kind of a mix of ambulances,” Cicciari said, “So it all started with the beginning of the journey with where do we want to land from an ambulance perspective? And PL Custom was what we chose as a preference.”

Despite the high price tag, the completely volunteer force is rather self-sustainable. The members were able to raise enough money to purchase this new ambulance and the one to come next year. The only equipment the town helped purchase with American Relief Plan Act (ARPA) funds are the two LifePak35s on board.

Gavin Arneth, member at large and part of NVAC’s executive board, said that LifePak35 can read blood pressure and oxygen levels, and perform a 12 lead EKG. After taking these vital signs, the machine can then transmit that information to hospital staff so the emergency department can prepare a cardiac team before the ambulance even arrives.

“It’s a big game changer for us,” Arneth said about the machine. “It’s a morale booster for our crew.”

“We are proud to be one of the few BLS providers, basic life support, for having the ability to do … a 12 lead EKG in the field. We’re one of the few that have this capability,” Cicciari said. He added that it steps NVAC’s game up in terms of patient care because the machine will constantly monitor a patient’s vitals. With open communication between EMTs and doctors through LifePak35, NVAC members can work with hospital staff and provide extra care to patients.

The whole ambulance is focused on prioritizing patient care. The benches in the back of the ambulance are shorter, a setup called “Medic in Mind,” which keeps all necessary tools within reach of EMTs in the ambulance. The setup reduces movement on behalf of the EMT so they can stay close to the patient to continue providing care. The seat belts on the benches extend so EMTs can easily reach a patient or any of the tools in the cabinets.

Arneth said, “Because of the long transports, we are really making sure our new people coming in are very, very comfortable and have the skill set to be out here. Even the [new] medics … they don’t immediately put them out here in Newtown because they know that they could be with a patient back here for 25 minutes whereas in Danbury, they’ve got five minutes to get to the hospital … Our people have to know what they’re doing if they’re going to be back here.”

Not only does the back take patient care and medics into account, but Arneth and Cicciari mentioned a few times how the new suspension feels compared to the old rigs. The ride is smoother with less bumps, which is important for patients who are in pain and discomfort.

Faye Klein, community and public relations chair, said that there are four ambulances at NVAC, and sometimes the crew needs five. Despite having a force of over 40 volunteers, the team is always looking for new members and new energy. The volunteer force averages about 3,200 calls a year.

Residency is not a requirement for membership, as Klein herself is not a Newtown resident. She said, “Everyone that’s here is here because they want to be here, and that’s a pretty cool thing and a unique thing for an organization to be just only full of people that want to be here.”

Arneth said the crew is very proud to be a volunteer organization still. Cicciari thinks NVAC is a “hidden gem” in this town, and people deserve to know “the number of hours people give selflessly to be here away from their families.”

For those looking for more information about NVAC, go to newtown-ambulance.org.

=====

Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.