No one ever knows when an accident will happen. 911 calls come in around the clock in response to life-threatening heart attacks, sports injuries, overdoses, falls, and motor vehicle accidents, to name just a few. As owners of a leading regional ambulance company, MedStar’s Nicholas Melehov and Gregory Melehov have made it our duty – and our heartfelt mission – to respond to any and all calls as quickly as absolutely possible.
In emergency medical services (EMS), it is considered the gold standard to respond to emergency calls within eight minutes 90 percent of the time. Even though there is no nationwide law or regulation regarding emergency medical response times, this is the standard response time every EMS organization strives for.
Here at MedStar, we’re proud of the fact that our response times are consistently well within that guideline. With ambulances strategically located at fire stations around the cities we serve, our crews are rolling within minutes of receiving a 911 call and being dispatched. In fact, in Fitchburg, our ambulance crews are on scene in under five minutes after dispatch, and typically within three minutes in Gardner.
But response time is meaningless if EMTs or paramedics are unable to provide appropriate aid when they arrive. That’s why Nick Melehov and Greg Melehov have mandated that we conduct ongoing education programs to provide comprehensive in-house training for our employees, covering a wide range of topics that include the latest information from medical journal studies and improvements in patient care.
Of course, appropriate aid requires appropriate equipment. MedStar ambulances are equipped with the most advanced emergency care technology available, including hydraulic stretchers to safely lift patients and get them into the ambulance quickly for transport to the hospital. Our paramedics and EMTs are also provided with state-of-the-art ventilators to ensure comfortable, reliable breathing assistance for our patients. And these are just two of the tools our personnel are equipped with to provide rapid, comprehensive, and effective medical care when responding to life-threatening emergency calls.
Fortunately, most people will never be involved in a life-threatening emergency situation. But if you or someone you know ever is, you can take comfort in knowing that MedStar is always ready and able to respond in minutes.
