Rescue workers train even on a Sunday

OGDENSBURG — On Sunday, while most people were cooking, baking and making other plans for the Super Bowl telecast that night, a group of men here was concentrating on less appetizing activities: checking to make sure a cardiac monitor was working properly, examining a defibrillator to see that it was in full working order and turning on the radio console to make sure the call to 911 goes through while the cardiac monitor and defibrillator are in use.

This particular Sunday at the Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad, 101 State St., also was a training day, just like all the others the squad’s paid staff and volunteers routinely undertake to rack up the 160 hours of training required for state Department of Health recertification every three years.

“We train all the time,” said Kenneth J. Gardner, the squad’s director of operations.

Brenden A. Murphy, an advanced critical care emergency medical technician, said some of the 160 hours are compiled elsewhere. The volunteers and paid staff also meet in a classroom at SUNY Canton.

“It depends on when and where you want to do it,” said Mr. Murphy, 45, a five-year squad veteran.

For the volunteers, training time usually is sandwiched between family life and jobs, and sometimes college.

Claude O. Bennett III, 19, Lisbon, is a driver for the squad. He also is a liberal arts/mathematics/science major at Jefferson Community College, Watertown.

Mr. Bennett finds the time to meet the 16-hour requirement per month for volunteer duty.

“It’s a feeling I can’t explain,” he said when asked why he goes to Ogdensburg between his classes and home life. “Knowing that you help someone.”

Cory A. Bromley, 20, Red Mills, is an EMT-Basic. He has been with the squad for about a year, a few months longer than he has worked as an emergency room technician at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center. His take on the dual responsibility is a combination of wanting to help and making sure he is up to speed on the Department of Health requirements.

“It’s a really good feeling to help people,” Mr. Bromley said. “But there’s always new things. You’ve got to keep up.”

Richard B. Daniell Sr., a 40-year-old EMT-Basic from Massena, said he can thank his wife for his participation in the squad. April L. Daniell is a paid staffer, but first was a veteran volunteer.

“She’s been doing this for 16 years,” said Mr. Daniell, a full-time mechanic by trade. “She brought me over. It was a life change for me.”

EMT Michael Kennedy said the equipment check also includes an examination of the contents of the big “first-in” bag that rests atop the stretcher inside each ambulance. Inside are vital items such as an oxygen tank and breathing mask, a blood pressure monitor, a stethoscope and an SPO2 monitor that checks a patient’s oxygen level.

No one expects the radio console to fail. Test calls are made to the St. Lawrence County emergency operations center in Canton to make sure everyone can be heard. If not, out come the cellular telephones.

“And we get it fixed right away,” Mr. Kennedy said.