Hilltop gets new, fully-equipped truck, new training

Going above and beyond the call of duty is nothing new for volunteer firefighters in the Mid-Mon Valley. By the very nature of what they do - putting their own lives on the line to help others, with no monetary compensation in return - firefighters do more than most would. Now, in Monessen, volunteers with the Hilltop Fire Department will be able to do more, and do it better, thanks to a new truck and a different kind of training to go along with it. The new truck isn't a long red one, like you might expect from watching television and movies or reading children's books, but it's impressive nonetheless. Put into service last month, the department's new truck is a Ford F550 with a V8 diesel engine. Besides being powerful, it can be used for the purpose of saving lives. The truck carries, in addition to the usual equipment the ambulance service paramedics use, the popular AED unit, or Automatic External Defibrillation unit. The device is an easy-to-use machine that administers electric shocks to a person under cardiac arrest. "The truck is also equipped as a basic life support unit," said Hilltop fire chief Bob Billick. However, the equipment is useless unless the operator gets the proper training, and a majority of Billick's crew has had just that. Of the 42 active firemen at Hilltop, five are trained paramedics; eight are trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs); three are trained first responders; 10 are trained in AED only; 10 are trained in AED and emergency first response. That leaves only six active firemen to be trained. Billick would like those six firemen - all new to the department - trained as well. For the emergency first responder course, the firemen had to take 48 hours of training; for the AED training, it's a four-hour course. All were worthwhile, Billick said.. "We did this to assist the ambulances when they're not available," Billick said. In the event of an emergency, and if the ambulances are all occupied, the fire department can take blood pressure, identify a person's medical history, handle bleeding, and provide treatment for diabetic emergencies as well as neck and back trauma until an ambulance arrives. The truck's capabilities doesn't end with AED treatment and emergency first response. It's also used for fire scenes and other rescues. Although it doesn't carry a fire pump like a ordinary fire truck, the Ford truck has the standard fire-fighting tools like extinguishers, tarps, and even a 14-foot extension ladder. Not only is the truck useful in fire emergencies, it can also be used in any sort of situation. Although the truck doesn't carry the powerful Jaws Of Life, it does have the basic hand tools that can be used to pop open a car windshield or door. The truck also has chemical spill absorbents, a scene lighter with a generator, and even water rescue equipment. Last year, the Hilltop Fire Department handled 145 calls; since firemen got the new truck, they used it 30 times.