LIFE SUPPORT TODAY PERKASIE COMMUNITY AMBULANCE

Until 1992 the Perkasie ambulance service was part of the Perkasie Fire Department. Changing to a separate service organization had the advantage that more money was available as they reprofiled the organization. This money was used for more equipment and services. The Perkasie Community Ambulance substation is located at Ninth Street and Park Avenue. The current number of volunteers in 2000 is 15 people.

Perkasie Community Ambulance participates in the Perkasie Fire Company open house during the spring of 2000.	Grand View Hospital provides ALS service on Sixth Street in Perkasie.

The Perkasie squad provides Basic Life Support (BLS) service to the Borough of Perkasie and surrounding municipalities. Grand View Hospital provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) service for the area.

Funding for the ambulance service includes billing for service calls and community support through a membership program. Occasionally money is received from other sources such as a recent grant from the state of Pennsylvania, but the Perkasie Community ambulance relies on the continuing support of the local community.

EQUIPMENT

The Perkasie Community Ambulance presently has two emergency vehicles; one vehicle is an ambulance and the other is a paramedic unit. The plan is that by 2002 both vehicles will be certified as paramedic units. Equipment on board in the emergency vehicles includes life support equipment, intervenous equipment, cardiac medications, etc.

This is a picture of one of the first ambulances that belonged to the Perkasie Fire Department.	Here is the paramedic unit that belongs to the Perkasie Community Ambulance service on call in 2000.