In 1942, 911 had not yet been established. The members set up a “phone tree” and a call to the emergency number used by the Fire Department could now get emergency medical assistance. That number is still held by the Town and kept in service as a backup emergency number. For a medical emergency, Doc Simonds and/or his nurse would be called and WAA members were located to pick up the rig and respond where needed. The patient was loaded into the back of the ambulance and taken to New Milford Hospital.

Eventually, a Cadillac ambulance replaced the Packard. When the Cadillac was retired it was followed by another Cadillac, which became one of the last two Cadillac ambulances operated in the State of Connecticut. The ambulances were housed in an addition built off the back of the Fire House in Bryan Plaza.

The second Cadillac had two-way radios installed along with the medical equipment and cot. It was very similar to the one pictured below:

One function of the new radio system was the HEAR system used by some of the hospitals in the state. It was a high band system allowing communication between the hospitals, some dispatch centers and some ambulances. WAA also obtained a license for their own high band radio frequency used for dispatch and communication with the dispatcher. The ambulance personnel could then be dispatched by pager or by plectron. That frequency (158.775) is now used by the Town of Washington and shared by the Town Highway Department, Washington Fire, Washington Police, and Washington Ambulance. Doug Graves (Grandpa Snazzy); dispatched the ambulance. He ran a local answering service along with his antique business. Over the years, dispatch eventually changed to New Milford Answering Service and then to Litchfield County Dispatch who we continue to use today.

In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s there was a nationwide push to provide special training for the people operating ambulances. There had been no government requirements for training before then, and medical professionals generally staffed ambulances when available and otherwise by people with any first aid training. The original certification training for people operating ambulances was outlined by the National Highway Traffic Administration as an 81-hour course in care and transportation of the sick and injured. The first Emergency Medical Technicians in the State of Connecticut were trained and certified in 1972 to meet those course requirements. A couple years later the State then required a minimum of EMT level certification to staff an ambulance. EMT training now takes about a minimum of 140 hours for Basic level certification; this does not include any continuing education in the future. These changes had a major impact on staffing for WAA. Not all the members of the Lions Club were interested in obtaining the training required to go on ambulance calls. While all members of the Lions Club of Washington are also members of WAA, WAA had to start taking members who were certified as EMT’s but did not belong to the Lions. Today, while the Lions Club still provides direction and some funding, very few of our ambulance personnel are Lions Club members.

A “box type” ambulance built by Wheeled Coach on a Ford van chassis replaced the second Cadillac. It provided a major improvement in working space and equipment storage capacity and we have stayed with the “box type” ambulances since then. Hortan Ambulance built the following two ambulance vehicles. The first was built on a Ford truck chassis and the second, which is now due to be replaced, on a GMC truck chassis. The “box type” ambulances were fitted out with an additional, new radio system. A statewide UHF system was put together and all ambulances were required to invest in the equipment. This system is a combination of radio towers and phone lines which allow us to speak directly with any emergency room, dispatch center or another ambulance in the state. It also allows for the cross connection of radio frequencies and/ or phone lines. In theory we can speak to anyone we might need to as long as the radio on the ambulance can access one of the antenna towers for the system.

When the new Firehouse was built we changed our quarters. The ambulance is now located in the end bay of the firehouse on Bee Brook Road and we have an office and some storage space there. We share the meeting room, kitchen and squad room with the Fire Department and work closely with them on many emergency calls.

We are currently looking for any old news articles and pictures relating to Washington Ambulance. If you have any that you would like to share, please contact Jason McKay at washingtonambulance@charter.net or Liz Gugel at gugelliz@yahoo.com.

A special thank you goes out to Steve Wright for collecting the history of WAA.