First Responders

Time is critical when an emergency strikes. The faster the ambulance arrives at the scene, the quicker care can be administered and transport to the hospital can begin. Due to the rural nature of some of Vermont's communities, many ambulance services find it hard to battle the enemy of long response times.

We have instituted a system of outposters, or first responders who are members of Essex Rescue that live in our service area. They are issued a radio, defibrillator, IV/ALS kit and a medical kit so they can respond directly to the scene of a call. This provides a huge benefit to the patient because advanced life support care can begin within a few minutes of dispatch.

Our Latest Commitment to Saving Lives

In 1998, we purchased 8 Physio Control Life Pak 500s for our outposters. These defibrillators are durable, lightweight, and small enough to be discretely tucked away in the trunk of a car. Since then, Essex Rescue and Essex Police Department have teamed up to purchase 11 more LifePak 500s. This recent purchase has allowed us to place a defibrillator in each police cruiser and with 3 more members. In most cases, residents of Essex, Essex Junction, Jericho, Underhill and Westford will have a defibrillator at their side within 5 minutes of calling 911.

November 2004 saw another improvement to the Essex First Response system. The Essex Fire Department and the Essex Junction Fire Department both began First Responding to all medical calls within their respective towns. This step is an effort to get medical care to the patients side quicker than before and to strengthen EMS service to both towns.