“The Beat Goes On” Cardiac Care Class

MOUNT OLIVE, NEW JERSEY - Heather Detoro and Tano Giacchino, emergency medical technicians with the Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad, examine a pig's heart they dissected as part of a class on human heart emergencies. A pig's heart is anatomically similar to human hearts.



The two were taking part in a one-evening class “The Beat Goes On”, held Tuesday night hosted by Flanders Fire and Rescue, conducted by Atlantic Health.

More information about the Flanders Fire and Rescue emergency medical classes can be obtained by calling the Flanders Firehouse at (973) 584-7805.

NJ Emergency Cardiac Care Class

FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY – Emergency medical services providers and other public safety personnel can catch up on the latest treatments for heart-related ailments by attending a one-evening class “The Beat Goes On”. The class will be held at 7pm Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at the Flanders Firehouse, 27 Main Street in Flanders, NJ.

“Cardiac calls are among the most common and urgent calls we respond to,” said Capt. Heather Detoro, who heads the Flanders Fire/Rescue EMS Division. “This class, taught by Atlantic Health, will help us continue to deliver state-of-the-art care to our residents.”

“The Beat Goes On” class covers the latest protocols for cardiac care. It is the first in a yearlong series of classes to be offered at Flanders Fire/Rescue on the third Tuesday night of each month. In addition, a series of other classes are planned on weekends. The first class of the weekend series will be International Trauma Life Support, taught by instructors from Saint Clare’s Hospital. Both classes are eligible for continuing education units.

The classes are free to state-certified emergency medical technicians and paramedics, who can register for either class at www.njoemscert.com. Those interested in The Beat Goes On can also call (908) 522-2323.

More information about the Flanders Fire and Rescue series can be obtained by calling the Flanders Firehouse at (973) 584-7805.

Flanders Fire/Rescue Selects 2009 Officers

FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY – Command of fire and emergency medical operations in Flanders will continue under the same leadership in 2009. That’s the choice of members of the Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad, who recently selected their 2009 leaders.

Fire Chief Fred Detoro Jr. will remain chief of department. It will be his 10th year in the position. As chief he has overseen the department’s growth in recent years, including the addition of specialized equipment for mass decontamination and new apparatus.

Michael McDermott and Greg Widzemok will continue as assistant chiefs. Tom Shields was promoted from lieutenant to captain. Robert Uhlmann and Scott Faluotico were elected as lieutenants. Both have served in that capacity in the past.

In the Emergency Medical Services Division, members elected Heather Detoro to another term as captain. Bruce Gallagher will continue to serve as first lieutenant and Roberto Salazar will serve as second lieutenant again. Tyler Wargo also was chosen as a second lieutenant.

Joe Abrusci was re-appointed engineer. As engineer, Abrusci heads up a team of firefighters who maintain the apparatus and the equipment on those trucks.

“The re-election of so many senior people not only demonstrates the faith of the membership in the direction of the department, but provides continuity so we continue to grow with Mount Olive and assure that we can quickly provide state-of-the-art services,” said Chief Detoro. “In addition, the new officers have extensive line experience and we welcome their fresh ideas.”

The Flanders Firefighter’s Association also chose its 2009 leadership. The association runs the business end of fire and emergency medical services. That includes adhering to myriad state and federal regulations regarding personnel and homeland security rules. In charge of the association will be Kevin Dolan, who moved from vice president to president. Joe Abrusci, former president, becomes vice president.

Other association officers include Scott Faluotico, secretary; Michael Jopp, treasurer; Tano Giacchino, assistant treasurer; Tom Puder, personnel officer; and Roberto Salazar, trustee.

All will be installed at a banquet January 31st, 2009.

The Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad No 1 provides fire protection and emergency medical services to residents and businesses in Flanders and, through mutual aid, surrounding towns. It is made up of about 75 members, all of whom receive training in fire suppression, rescue, hazardous materials response, homeland security issues and emergency medical services. The fire company operates two fire engines, one tower truck, one heavy rescue, a brush-and-foam truck, three ambulances, a multiple-casualty unit and a mass decontamination unit.

In addition, the fire company offers public education services including lectures, demonstrations, training and a trailer that safely simulates a smoke-filled home.

For information about Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad No 1 membership, donations or public education, call (973) 584-6745.

NJ Helicopter Landing Zone Safety Program

FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY – A helicopter arriving at an emergency scene to whisk away a patient whose life is on the line is one of the more dramatic moments in emergency services. The problem is that it can become rather hazardous. That’s why area firefighters and emergency medical personnel can learn how to work safely with medical helicopters at a training session sponsored by Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad No. 1 and hosted by the Atlantic Training Center on July 26th in Netcong.

“Helicopters add a special dimension to emergency medical transport in one of the nation’s most congested areas,” said Heather Detoro, Captain of the EMS Division of Flanders Fire/Rescue. “A person with life-threatening injuries can be at the trauma center in Morristown in just a few minutes, rather than the long time it can take fighting rush-hour traffic on our area highways. This class will help everyone decide when to call for a helicopter and how to work more smoothly with Atlantic Air One, NorthStar or any other aeromedical unit that responds.”

The class will be delivered by the flight crew of Atlantic Air One. The course gives an in-depth look at the safe operations of the CE-135 Eurocopter flown by Atlantic Air One. It also covers indications for air transport, fly-drive criteria, proper landing-zone etiquette and more. If available, attendees will get to see the Eurocopter at its home base.

EMTs will receive two elective CEUs for the class. Pre-registration is a must and there is limited availability. The class runs from 8:30 am to 11 am on Saturday, July 26th 2008 at the Atlantic Air One hanger on Love Lane in Netcong. It is open to all EMS, fire service and police personnel. More information and registration is available by calling the Atlantic Training Center at (908) 522-5395 or through the LMS system.

The program is part of the Flanders Fire/Rescue-Atlantic Training Center Saturday CEU classes, held the last Saturday of each month. August’s class will be about stroke awareness. For more information on the series, contact Flanders Fire/Rescue at (973) 584-7805.

A Safer Home focus of Flanders 'Open Firehouse'

FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY – Firefighters and emergency medical technicians from the Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad will host an 'Open Firehouse' at 27 Main Street, Flanders New Jersey.

On May 31st from 10am to 4pm come see the department’s state-of-the-art fire apparatus and EMS equipment. Learn about safety precautions that can reduce the possibility of a fire or injury in your home.

Firefighters will demonstrate the proper use of a fire extinguisher, how to handle a stove fire and how to get out of a smoke-filled home.

EMS technicians will provide instructions and illustrations on how to treat various everyday common medical emergencies. Fire & EMS personnel will walk you through an automobile wreck rescue and the use of foam to extinguish car fires.

In addition, Mount Olive police officers will be at the firehouse to provide information about Car Seat and Child Restraint Safety.

Protect you and your family by learning how to create A Safer Home.

Breathing Emergency at Flanders Firehouse

FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY – With incidents of asthma and other respiratory difficulties increasing, calls for help by people having difficulty breathing are becoming more common for emergency medical personnel. The latest information on shortness-of-breath emergencies, especially those caused by asthma, will be the topic of a class at 8:30am April 26th at the Flanders Firehouse, 27 Main Street in Flanders, New Jersey in Morris County.

Sponsored by the Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad and presented by the Atlantic Training Center, the 3½-hour class will teach emergency responders the latest information and treatment protocols for treating asthma and other respiratory patients. Those attending the class earn three CEU credits.

“More than 20 million people in the United States suffer from asthma,” said Heather Detoro, captain of the EMS Division of Flanders Fire and Rescue. “Of those, 9 million are children. Few things are more terrifying than being unable to breath. It’s imperative that emergency personnel be ready to react appropriately to shortness-of-breath calls, and this class will help.”

The class runs from 8:30am to noon at the Flanders Firehouse, 27 Main Street, Flanders, New Jersey. It is open to all EMS, fire service and police personnel.

Additional information is available by calling Flanders Fire and Rescue at (973) 584-7805 or by calling the Atlantic Training Center at (908) 522-5395. Registration is through Atlantic Health Care Systems and the State of New Jersey LMS system.

Flanders and Budd Lake Report Minor Flooding

MOUNT OLIVE, NEW JERSEY - Saturday’s heavy rains flooded a number of roads in Mount Olive, including Hermanne Drive where the Flanders Fire Company No. 1 responded to a number of flooding homes.

Pleasant Hill Road near the Flanders Valley Golf Course needed to be barricaded as water from the golf course crossed the road to Flanders Valley Weddings and Banquets.

Mount Olive also saw flooding at Downstream Drive and Pheasant Court, in Flanders, and at Woodland Avenue and Second Street, in Budd Lake. As well as parts of River Road and Bartley Road.

Flanders Fire & Rescue Pediatrics Class

FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY – Most emergency medical services personnel will readily admit that calls involving children are among the most nerve-racking. A nationally recognized daylong course designed to make those calls a little easier will be offered for area emergency providers from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm March 29th at Flanders Fire and Rescue Company Headquarters.

Presented by the Atlantic Training Center in cooperation with the Flanders Fire & Rescue Company EMS Division, the Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP) Course is developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is a product of 15 years of collaboration, brainstorming, review, revision and re-revision by physicians, nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and EMS educators across the country.

“Most of the literature puts the number of pediatric prehospital emergency calls at about 10 percent,” said Heather Detoro, captain of the Flanders EMS Division. “That means even the busiest prehospital caregivers don’t see as many kids as adults. Children present a much different set of challenges for us.”

The daylong PEPP class focuses on basic life support techniques using case-based lectures, live-action video, skill stations and small-group scenarios. The course covers child development, assessment, respiratory issues, trauma, medical emergencies, sudden infant death syndrome, delivery of babies and other topics.

The class begins at 8:30 am at the Flanders Firehouse, 27 Main Street, Flanders, New Jersey. It is open to all EMS, fire service and police personnel. More information is available by calling Flanders Fire/Rescue at (973) 584-7805 or by calling the Atlantic Training Center at (908) 522-5395. Registration is through Atlantic Health and the State of New Jersey LMS system.

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Flanders Fire/Rescue Kicks Off Its First Saturday Education Series

FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY – The Flanders Fire Company and Rescue Squad this year is teaming up with some of the area’s leading experts in emergency medical services to present its first Saturday CEU Series.

The series of Saturday morning EMS workshops is presented in conjunction with Atlantic Training Center, a part of Atlantic Health System. Topics range from pediatric care to working with Atlantic’s aeromedical helicopter, Air One.

“We are thrilled that the Atlantic Training Center has agreed to provide the latest in EMS education to emergency caregivers in Flanders and elsewhere in Northwestern New Jersey,” said Heather Detoro, captain of Flanders Fire/Rescue’s EMS Division. “Morristown Memorial Hospital, part of the Atlantic Health System, has long been a source of quality care and top-notch education. We’re pleased to partner with Atlantic to bring that expertise to Flanders.”

The first workshop is on Scene Safety for EMS Providers, presented by members of the Mount Olive Police Department. The class will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Flanders Firehouse, 27 Main Street, Flanders. The class is worth three CEUs for emergency medical technicians. Led by Police Officer Russell Hatzel, instructors will discuss practices that make responding and operating at a scene safer and discuss ways EMS personnel can better interface with police.

Other classes, taught by instructors from the Atlantic Training Center, include:

• March 29: Pediatric Education for Prehospital Providers


• April 26: Asthma Care


• June 28: Coaching the Emergency Vehicle Operator II


• July 26: A visit with Air One


• August 30: Stroke Awareness


• September 27: Geriatric Education for EMS Providers (GEMS)


• October 25: Diabetes


• November 29: Patient Communications


• December 27: Respiratory Emergencies

Saturday CEU topics may change.

In addition to the Saturday CEU series, the Atlantic Training Center and Flanders Fire/Rescue will conduct an emergency medical technician class starting April 21 and running through June.

All sessions begin at 8:30 am at the Flanders Firehouse. While a few workshops run all day, most end between 11 am and noon. Classes are open to all EMS, fire service and police personnel. More information is available by calling Flanders Fire/Rescue at (973) 584-7805 or by calling the Atlantic Training Center at (908) 522-5395. Registration is through Atlantic Health and the State of New Jersey LMS system.

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