Ansonia Police Fill In Emergency Response Gaps

On May 21, Ansonia police responded to two medical emergencies at city homes before an ambulance could arrive. 

In both situations, officers performed CPR and stabilized the patients in order to get them to the hospital alive.

The incidents highlighted the need for more crews on the Ansonia Rescue Medical Services ambulances during the day, said ambulance supervisor Joanne Sjogren, who recently wrote a letter of thanks to the police department for their help.

Your officers have become a very valuable tool in our life saving efforts in the City of Ansonia,” Sjogren wrote in a letter of thanks to the department. 

The Calls

The first call on May 21 was at a home on Grove Street, where a woman was found unconscious by Officers James Frolish and Nathan Anderson. 

Frolish forced entry to the house, where the woman was alone, and brought the woman to an area where CPR could be performed, according to Sjorgren’s letter.

The woman regained a pulse on scene and was taken to Griffin Hospital. She died four days later.

The second call on May 21 was to a home on Olson Drive, where a man was in cardiac arrest. 

Ansonia police officer Mark Guillett was the first on scene and began providing respirations with a bag valve mask,” Sjorgren wrote. 

Officers Nathan Anderson and Peter Lovermi and Lt. Andrew Cota also responded and helped with the effort. 

The patient was pronounced dead at Griffin Hospital. 

Part Of The Job

Police Chief Kevin Hale said officers are trained as MRTs, a training level below an EMT, to be able to respond to medical emergencies they respond to on the job.

Officers often need to perform CPR at scenes, Hale said. 

Ask Joan Radin, who owns Lear Pharmacy on Wakelee Avenue. 

She wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the CPR training of police officer Joe Jackson.

Five years ago in February, Radin went into complete cardiac arrest while working at the pharmacy. 

Jackson responded to the store, and was able to resuscitate Radin.

It’s amazing that he brought be back enough that I could go back to work and keep my business going for this long,” Radin said. If it wasn’t for Joe, I would be a vegetable, or dead.”

More Staff

Up until a week ago, ARMS only had one ambulance crew on call during two different day shifts, and one crew on during a midnight shift, Sjogren said. 

It used to be enough, but the number of volunteers who filled in the gaps has decreased over the past couple of years, and ARMS has required mutual aid from area ambulance crews if a second call came in during the day, Sjogren said.

Everyone needs to work multiple jobs in this economy,” Sjogren said. Because of that, volunteerism is down.”

Since the two incidents, the city has approved a second ambulance crew to be stationed at ARMS during the day time.

The second crew, which is staffed with paid employees, began last week.

We’ve doubled our coverage, which is phenomenal,” Sjogren said. It’s only been a week that we’ve been online with it, and we’re already picking up second calls in town.”

Sjogren said the remaining active volunteers also help out during night shifts and when they are available.

Keep local reporting alive. Donate.ValleyIndy.org