May 29, 2002
Interlochen fire station provides EMS open house
Crew of 20 volunteers will respond to 300 or more projected emergency calls this year
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
When the beeper sounds, volunteers from the Green Lake Township ambulance service and Battalion #4 of the Grand Traverse County Fire Department spring into action.
Whoever can comes to the fire station in Interlochen before heading out to any medical emergency, fire or auto accident that occurs in the township. With more than 300 calls projected this year, the 20 volunteers serving this growing bedroom community of Traverse City have no shortage of dedication.
"You go whenever you're home and don't have the kids to watch," said Tracy Robertson, a volunteer firefighter for one year who plans to begin training as an Emergency Medical Technician this winter. "We come here and depending on what kind of call it is then we take whatever equipment is appropriate."
To help get the word out about these organizations and their volunteers and services, the ambulance service and fire department sponsored an EMS Open House Friday afternoon at the fire station in Interlochen.
"We try to keep the community aware of what we're up to around here," said Deanna Chryst, medical director for the ambulance service and one of two paid employees stationed there. "You don't really have a chance to interact with people like this at a pancake breakfast."
Nearly 100 visitors of all ages came to enjoy the free food, educational materials and chance to run a fire fighting obstacle course. This course had participants don full fire fighting gear, crawl through a tunnel, climb through a window and then run to a fire hose where they tried to control the high-pressure water flow.
Other activities included checking out the ambulance and other township and county fire fighting equipment, including the county hovercraft. Plans for the station's new fire truck, which is due for delivery by the end of the year, were also prominently displayed.
The open house also featured representatives of the American Red Cross, who conducted a blood drive and handed out educational materials on safety, emergency procedures and fire prevention. Chryst said having a blood drive during the EMS Open House was a natural since emergency services are just one small link in helping people in need.
"Emergency services are just one element when there is a fire," said Chryst, who is also a Red Cross instructor in first aid and CPR. "When we show up at a fire, the Red Cross is there to help the family."
Besides offering some fun diversions, the goal of the EMS Open House was to raise public awareness of the critical services these organizations provide.
"People don't realize that we're first responders to just about everything," Chryst said. "When people call 911, unless they specifically ask for a cop, the fire department or EMS will respond."
Knowing what firefighters and EMTs can do is even more important after the terrorist attacks of September 11 last year. Chryst noted that even before threats of terrorism gripped the nation, firefighters and EMTs have been training for years to handle these situations.
"Most of us have taken courses in weapons of mass destruction, bio-threats and hazardous materials," Chryst noted. "Most are trained to the operational level."
Many of the volunteers with the ambulance service and fire department are cross-trained as both firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians. These volunteers undergo hundreds of hours of training over two years to be certified, a huge sacrifice for both the individuals and their families.
"We totally rely on volunteers and it is a massive commitment," Chryst said. "We could always use more but we get the job done."