Heritage Village Ambulance Association, Inc.

When you call 911, an ambulance is dispatched to your location. Emergency aid is provided and you are quickly transported to a nearby hospital of your choice:
Danbury, St. Mary's, Waterbury, Griffin or New Milford.

The State Health Department mandates that HVAA cover all shifts, 24/7/365. In the past we could do this solely with volunteers.

Today we are forced to use some paid personnel to maintain full coverage and hire a part-time manager,
thus increasing our operating costs. Fortunately,
some of these costs are covered by Medicare and
various insurance policies. For the remainder we
depend on fund raising.

Mr. Paparazzo, the developer of the Village, donated the first ambulance vehicle, a converted Cadillac hearse. He also rented the Maintenance Office Bulding to the HV Master Association under a 100-year lease and gave the use of the garage to the Ambulance Association.

The first crewmembers were about 100 volunteers from the Village, who only needed Red Cross training. The State certification system was started shortly thereafter.

At first, crews were contacted by telephone, which meant staying at home during their shifts. Then beepers came into use to alert crewmembers to head to the garage as fast as possible.

During these early days crews were dispatched from the Heritage Village Security Office. When tw0-way radios cameinto use, crews were dispatched from the Southbury Police Department thought the 911 system.

Over the years the State has required more advanced training and equipment. Originally qualified as a Basic Life Support unit, the ambulance is classified now as a Mobil Intensive Care Unit.

In 1993 the paramedic program began. When a call involves a life threateneing condition, a paramedic is called from Waterbury; When the paramedic joins the ambulance, it becomes an Advanced Life Support Unit where medication and other advanced procedures can be given to the patient under supervision, via telephone, of doctors in the Emergency Room.

In 1997 crews began using defibrillators and LifePak devices.