For the second time in three years, Brookfield Township Fire Department has been named the top ambulance service in Trumbull County in the Warren Tribune-Chronicle’s Readers Choice Awards.

“It’s pretty outstanding, if you figure 32 ambulances in Trumbull County,” said Brookfield Fire Capt. Mike Hagood. “That really speaks volumes for the personnel we have. We’ve got a good group of people.”

Brookfield was second in 2017 after having topped the list in 2016.

Howland Township – last year’s number one – came in at number two and MedStar EMS and Transport Inc. rounded out the top three.

Brookfield answered 1,506 medical-related calls in 2017 – not counting the 93 motor vehicle accidents it responded to. All of its full-time and part-time members are certified as emergency medical technicians or paramedics, and two or three of its volunteers also have medical training.

The goal for medical service is to be the best of the best, but Lt. Nick Cresanto said he doesn’t assume the department is at that level.

“It actually comes as a surprise to us,” he said of the recognition.

Although the Trib’s poll is wholly subjective, Cresanto said there are several factors that go into providing good service, including response time, scene care, transport and bedside manner.

With department personnel manning the two stations 24 hours a day on most days, an ambulance is usually out the door within a minute during the day, and about four minutes at night, Hagood said.

“When you have an emergency, time is of the essence,” he said.

The department emphasizes training and being prepared for whatever call they might get, firefighters said.

Keeping up on the various certifications department personnel must maintain can be onerous, with emergency medical and fire re-certifications every three years and individual certifications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, advanced cardiovascular life support and international trauma life support on different time tables.

Trumbull Regional Medical Center sends someone out monthly to meet with the department to go over medical protocols, and department members hold in-house medical and fire trainings a part of their shifts to keep everyone on the same page, Cresanto said.

“Sitting around is not a good thing,” he said.

 

Photo shows, from left, Matt Rozhon, Nick Cresanto and Mike Hagood,