Hilltown Community Ambulance Assoc. Services Director Angela Mulkerin with the next ambulance to be replaced. (Photo by Amy Porter)
HUNTINGTON – For Angela Mulkerin, Services Director for the Hilltown Community Ambulance Association (HCAA), everything is going well enough that she is starting to look long-term. HCAA, located at 1 Bromley Road in Huntington provides emergency medical services to the hilltown communities of Huntington, Blandford, Chester, Montgomery, Russell and Worthington.
Mulkerin said two of her fulltimers recently became paramedics, increasing her staff to four full-time paramedics, including herself, and three basic EMTS. They also employ paramedics and EMT’s part-time, many of whom work full-time for other organizations and take shifts at HCAA. This staffing allows them to respond with paramedics 88% of the time, twenty-four hours a day.
“The crew that we have working here is incredible. They work well together and are responsive to community needs,” Mulkerin said, adding, “When I first came here, we weren’t staffed 24/7, much less having paramedics 24/7.
Another charge Mulkerin had when she began as director, besides increasing coverage, was replacing an ambulance from 2000 that had to be decommissioned. The organization had just completed a three-year plan, which included plans to buy a new ambulance, and a 15% increase to the towns.
Some of the towns balked, however, and requested new contracts with the ambulance service. For more than a year, Mulkerin and the attorney worked out the contracts with the six towns, adding addendums at their request. This year’s contracts are the same as last year, plus the addendums, with a 5% increase to the towns.
Mulkerin said her focus is on the sustainability of HCAA, and decreasing costs. “Each Hilltown couldn’t afford an ambulance service. This is the way folks in the hilltowns are going to get what they need.” She said she just received an email from a Central Mass. Planning Commission that is looking to regionalize its ambulances services.
“We’re not a town department. We’re providing the most service and the best service that our six towns would (be able to) pay. We try to not be an unaffordable burden. We always feel, just because we live in a rural area, people should not suffer from traumatic complaints because ambulances are rare,” Mulkerin said.
By a stroke of good fortune, HCAA was able to purchase an ambulance, a 2007 Advanced Life Support vehicle ahead of schedule last year. “We managed to get a deal – a good ambulance from Northampton Fire Department, very well maintained, that cost $17,500, instead of the $200,000 we were projecting for a new ambulance,” Mulkerin said. They also have a contract with the mobile mechanic who had worked for Northampton FD on that ambulance.
Now they are looking more long-term to replace their second ambulance, which is the same year (2007), but has 10-11 years of Hilltown miles on it. This time, Mulkerin said they would like to purchase a four-wheel drive ambulance to help navigate those roads, especially in the winter.
She is keeping her eye on ambulance vendors, and has been told the price of ambulances may go up because of tariffs on aluminum recently announced by the Trump administration. She said she’s being picky, and deciding what they can and can’t live without. She is hoping to purchase a new ambulance this time, and is busy looking for possible grants.
HCAA will also be holding its first public fundraiser, “Hilltown Hops” at the Chester Common Table, 30 Main St, Chester on May 10, from 5 pm to 8 pm. The event, emceed by Steve Nagle includes craft beer sampling from around the area, appetizers, music by the Pitoniak Brothers and raffle prizes to raise money for a new 4-wheel drive ambulance.
“Everything we get from fundraising is going towards an ambulance fund,” Mulkerin said, adding. “We’re very lucky, there are not a great deal of costs on this event.” She said they have a good fundraising committee, and are looking for sponsors for the event. They hope to raise $4,000 or $5,000 this time. Mulkerin said she knows it will take a few years to raise the money needed.
Tickets for the 21-plus event are $20 in advance and $25 at the door, and can be purchased by contacting Angela Mulkerin at 413-875-5781. Donations are also welcome. HCAA (hilltownambulance.org)is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, and all donations are tax-deductible.
