Deploying EMTs leave void in community
1/2/10 | 23 comments

Deploying EMTs leave void in community


By Diana Bowley
BDN Staff
BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY DIANA BOWLEY
Kendall Noke (left) and David Olmstead, licensed EMT intermediate paramedics with the Three Rivers Ambulance Service, will leave soon for military duty in Afghanistan.

MILO, Maine — In small communities, there are few people willing to get the training necessary to serve their local ambulance service as emergency medical technicians, especially when they have jobs elsewhere.

When three of the EMTs on a roster are called to active duty with the military, it can leave a void that is difficult to fill.

That’s the case for the Three Rivers Ambulance Service, but no one is grumbling about pulling extra duty when they know their counterparts are protecting them, according to ambulance service chief Mike Larson.

EMT intermediate paramedics Kendall Noke, 21, and David “DJ” Olmstead, 20, who are with the Brewer-based Bravo Company of the 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Unit of the Maine Army National Guard, will leave early this month for Afghanistan. In February, Duane Applebee, 36, who has been reactivated by the Army, also will leave for Afghanistan.

“It’s going to be hard trying to fill the shifts because they put in a lot of hours each week,” Larson said of the three men this week.

The soldiers are among 14 licensed intermediate paramedics on staff at the privately owned department which answers calls in Milo, Brownville, Medford, LaGrange, Orneville and the Unorganized Territory in the region.

The three men typically work 60-plus hours a week for the department, according to Larson. The rest of the crew, including Larson, recognizes that they’ll have to work unusual shifts while the men are away, which will be difficult if they hold other jobs.

Larson’s daytime job is at the Mountain View Youth Development Center, and when he’s not working for the Three Rivers Ambulance during his off-hours, he can be found working for Mayo Regional Hospital’s ambulance service and for the Milo and Brownville police departments.

“I fill in as much as I can” for those unable to work their shifts, he said.

Todd Lyford, chairman of the Three Rivers Ambulance Service board of directors, said this week that it’s difficult for a small ambulance service to get people to commit time to work to answer emergency calls. Then to lose three to active duty means even more pressure, according to Lyford.

“It always affects the ability for us to cover shifts, and it puts a load onto the others who work here,” he said.

Some of the EMTs and drivers put in 2,500 hours a year for the ambulance service, Lyford said.

In addition to the three servicemen, two other EMTs are on leave from their ambulance positions because of conflicts with their regular jobs, Lyford said.

While he feels it’s his duty to serve his country, Noke, 21, will miss his friends at the ambulance garage, he said. Noke, like Olmstead, is an Army-trained medic. Noke said he volunteered for Three Rivers because he knows everybody in the community and wanted to help.

“It’s not for the outstanding paycheck I receive,” Noke said jokingly.

Olmstead, 20, said he took the job because he likes working with people. “It’s a great place to work,” he said.

Their dedication to their community and to their country is commendable, and they will sorely be missed, Lyford said.

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Comments
23 comments on this item
On 1/2/10 at 8:24 AM, Coolfusion wrote: Click here to view hidden comment         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
On 1/2/10 at 9:28 AM, MikeinFK wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Be safe guys.

Meanwhile, what the heck is an "intermediate paramedic"? Wake up BDN

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On 1/2/10 at 9:40 AM, DesireeMorse wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Good luck you guys! I hope that they stay safe over there. As a former soldier and now the wife of an active duty soldier, I feel for the families and loved ones of these men and will pray that they come home safe. As for the department suffering for EMTs, I am coming home soon and I will offer my time to the ambulance service (I'm a NREMT-Basic, but I was a medic in the Army so I have sufficient knowledge).

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On 1/2/10 at 1:57 PM, Booney wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Gee wizz- Guess what --- Mayo Regional Ambulance has offered several times to incorpoate Mile Threee Rivers service in to theirs- God forbid Milo should give up control of their litte world- Wake up people - merge with Mayo- Have drivers and Paramedics available 24/7 like Dexter did .Somebody in control of the three rivers ambulance - like maybe Todd Lyford- Fred Trask and others should come in to the 21st century and really provide the necessary service required of a real ambulance service - not just a part time paramedic -They will be just like the United States Congress - they will not get it until somebody dies waiting for a paramedic.

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On 1/2/10 at 2:17 PM, jlegere1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

A while back I applied to be an EMT/Driver for the Three Rivers Ambulance and was Rejected. I was a Combat Medic in the Army and figured I'd be a shoe-in. Silly me, I forgot where I lived. I forgot it's not what you know but who you know. Instead of hiring someone who knows what they are doing right out of the gate, they decided to hire the ambulance chiefs 17yr old daughter who is still attending high school. I know I feel safer with a high schooler answering emergency calls. God help anyone who gets injured in the area.

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On 1/2/10 at 3:06 PM, KendallNoke wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Thanks for the support, its going to be a long year away from our family's and friends.....and the people who used this as an opportunity to rip my ambulance service a part....thanks guys real mature. I put thousands of hours a year for the past two years in at three rivers and i know that i make a difference every day that i work. I also know that everyone at three rivers is more than qualified and are very hard working people that sacrifice a lot of time with their family for little pay. I am proud to be a part of three rivers just as i am proud to be deploying with my national guard unit and i know for a fact that they will take care of my...and our families while i am gone for the next year. Thank you three rivers some people will never know what you do to the full extent.

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On 1/2/10 at 3:54 PM, heavensangel wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

@ Booney....................you think Mayo could get to someone in Milo faster than TRA can?????? Stop bashing the people who are helping their community.

@ jlegere1...................that 17 year old girl is one hell of a worker. She busts her butt just like everyone else. I live in this area and I do feel safer knowing that the younger generation in this community want to help. They are stepping up and giving back. Sounds to me like you are just upset you got rejected.

@ KendallNoke.............some people will never grow up and will always need to start something. we are proud of you. You will be missed. Take care and be safe. Come home safe.

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On 1/2/10 at 4:10 PM, Amazed2010 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I am always amazed at what some people think they know. I agree 100% with heavensangel, but I am also going to give you some insite. 1. Mayo Regional Hospital has never offered to incorporate Three Rivers Ambulance with theirs. Actually, they are more than happy that there is one other service covering all of Eastern Piscataquis County and part of Penobscot, so they do not have to. However, Three Rivers Ambulance has been told that if ever they felt they could not continue their service, for whatever reason, that Mayo Regional Hospital would try to do what they have done for the Dexter/Corinna/Corinth areas. I believe and what I have heard from others, The Three Rivers Community is very appreciative to have "thier own" service and to keep one more job opportunity in the area. As for not being hired by Three Rivers Ambulance, maybe there is an underlying reason? and I will say you need to get your facts straight of who applied when, and who was hired when before you post it for the world to see. However, the hiring process is a very long one and there are many job applications still on file. It takes time to get crewmembers trained to the level they need to be trained to. So your application may have been still on file. As for DJ and Kendall, you will be sorely missed and TRAS will still keep running and will anxiously await your return!!

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On 1/2/10 at 4:51 PM, ALarson wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

@ jlegere1 Hi, I would be the "17 year old" that you were talking about. Before you go and start bashing a "minor" here's some in-site. I will be 20 years old this Tuesday and for the last 2 years I have done nothing but work to my fullest potential at my job. I took the EMT class when I was in high school but I wasn't hired until I was 18 years old. Last year I was the fourth place for the most amount of hours worked and I was 2nd this year with almost 2500 hours all while attending College full time. So I'm sorry that you were not hired, but there is no need to bash people because you weren't. By the way the hiring is done by the Board of Directors NOT by my father. Thanks for defending me heavensangel.

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On 1/2/10 at 5:50 PM, eagle994 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

i can attest that it isn't "who you know" to get hired. I applied for a driver postion in 2007 and didn't know anyone on the service personally (one or two I just knew who they were from around town). Anyways I got hired and can attest that everyone works hard on the service to go above and beyond the call of duty. Even if not on call, there is bound to be one or two other crew members helping on calls if needed. Good luck to DJ, Kendall, and Dwayne while defending our right to have our opinions known to everyone and can't wait to be working beside you again.

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On 1/2/10 at 6:28 PM, Bangorian wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

As clearly illustrated by the postings above, a community like Milo has a very limited supply of potential from which to draw.

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On 1/2/10 at 7:32 PM, heavensangel wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Milo is a community that works together. Milo is full of people volunteering their time to give back to their community. That makes Milo full of potential. Unfortunately, people are too ignorant, arrogant and blind to see that.

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On 1/3/10 at 6:47 AM, franklrrp wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

hey coolfusion you should get your facts right. it was george bush that got us into this mess. now obama has to clean up after him.

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On 1/3/10 at 7:53 AM, Jennifer wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Amanda don't let them get to ya...if they even had any clue about what kind of 'kid' you are! Putting in all those hours for the ambulance service and getting the grades you do!! Amazing and dedicated are 2 words I would choose to describe you. Any parent would hope their child turned out as well as you! Keep up the good work....KID!

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On 1/3/10 at 8:00 AM, Jennifer wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

and to you, jlegere1, I would much rather have someone with Amanda's attitude and work ethic working on me or my family in an emergency situation than someone like you. Might I suggest that attitude is what got in the way of you getting hired? I don't know but maybe if you knock some of that chip off your shoulder and adjusted the attitude you'd have a much better chance at getting a job working with the public in a small town such as Milo.

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On 1/3/10 at 9:12 AM, val04463 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Amanda..and all you wonderful Ambulance folks..Don't pay any attention to the "haters" you read on here..If Jesus himself came to Milo they'd bash him..Their mouths are so full of sour grapes they can only spew ignorance!!

Thanks to all of you for all you do!! And you fellows headed to clean up the mess overseas...Stay Safe and stay proud!! Your country and community loves you!!

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On 1/3/10 at 3:18 PM, me2suz wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Milo's full of sour grapes.

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On 1/3/10 at 9:20 PM, Lobstarok wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

You can all moan and groan but if a 17 yr old gets a job over a "Combat Medic in the Army" then anybody who thinks the fix was not in-I have some killer real estate for you on the coast...

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On 1/3/10 at 9:26 PM, KrissyinNY wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Good Luck Kendall and DJ!!!

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On 1/3/10 at 9:27 PM, EMTdude wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

What is an "intermediate paramedic"?? There is no such thing. It's either intermediate or paramedic. There's a big difference there.

Good luck over there guys.

To the young lady. Congrads on being who you are. There aren't a lot of young folks who are even motivated enough to get off their @$$es, much less get involved in public services. Doing the EMT class in high school isn't an easy task.

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On 1/4/10 at 5:06 PM, Bob_from_Orland wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Despite all the negative comments, thanks guys for your service to our country and to your community. Be careful and come back safe.

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On 1/4/10 at 6:26 PM, the_ghost wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden
On 1/4/10 at 6:27 PM, the_ghost wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Thanks to the guys leaving to serve our country. Believe me, I wish we could trade places.

As for ALarson: "...........By the way the hiring is done by the Board of Directors NOT by my father." Is there really a difference? Small towns like that are run with the best intrests of those in power in mind

Hopefully the town can find more well qualified personel to fill the void.

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