The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne announced that the Akwesasne Mohawk Ambulance (AMA) is now certified and equipped for Advanced Life Support (ALS) calls. Prior to this certification, the ambulance staff provided first aid and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) level care.
The new certification gives MCA’s ambulance unit the ability to start IV’s and administer life-saving medication.
“Our community relies heavily on the expert care of our ambulance unit and knowing we now have the ability to save lives in new advanced ways while en route to the hospital is something for us all to celebrate,” said Kawehno:ke District Chief Dennis Chaussi, who holds the Health portfolio.
There are three levels of ambulance staff certification: an EMT is the first level, followed by Critical Care Technician/ALS, followed by Paramedic. While the AMA has already had four staff available with the CCT/ALS certification, the ambulance itself needed modifications to receive certification in order for the staff to use their ALS skills and training.
The AMA now has one paramedic, two full-time CCT/ALS staff, and one casual CCT/ALS staff. Until additional ALS providers are hired, advanced life support is available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Issac McDonald, CCT/ALS, is “extremely proud” of the new designation. “Having this access brings a whole lot of new responsibility,” he said. “But we are going to be able to save valuable time in getting community members the necessary treatment they need when they’re suffering from a heart attack or in pain from a broken bone.”
“This designation is a huge accomplishment for the community,” said Ambulance Manager Daryl Diabo. “After years of navigating through the red-tape, we are celebrating our uniqueness in being a cross-border ambulance with New York State certification. We have a great team and we look forward to the positive impact this will have on our program and the community.”
