BCCRS Staffs New Ambulance in Chevy Chase, Maryland
On Sunday, July 4, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad put a new, state-of-the-art ambulance in service at the Chevy Chase Fire Department on Connecticut Avenue. It marks the first time in the rescue squad’s eight decades that BCCRS will staff an ambulance at the CCFD Station 7.
The Rescue Squad’s EMTs, paramedics and firefighters will continue to staff EMS and heavy rescue units at its headquarters on Battery Lane in downtown Bethesda, as well as an ambulance at Bethesda Fire Department Station 26 on Democracy Boulevard near Montgomery Mall.
The new ambulance, A707, will enhance the emergency medical coverage for Chevy Chase and surrounding communities in Montgomery County and reduce ambulance response times to emergency incidents.
“This is an exciting day because we’re always looking for ways to enhance emergency services in our community,” said BCCRS Chief Edward “Ned” Sherburne. “Ambulance 707 puts us in the heart of neighborhoods we’ve been providing emergency medical care to for generations and is a great addition to our longtime partnerships with Chevy Chase Fire Department and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue.”
Ambulance 707 is a brand-new ambulance, custom-built for BCCRS by PL Custom Emergency Vehicles in New Jersey. The unit was designed to assure the safety of the public, patients and first responders. A707 will be staffed by at least two EMTs and equipped with both basic and advanced life support equipment, allowing the ambulance to be upgraded when a paramedic is available.
The addition of A707 is initially a 6-month pilot project, and both BCCRS and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue leadership will be assessing its impact on EMS service and response times.