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Emergency Medical Services for the Town of Westport was handled by the Audley family from the 1920's until 1980, except for a two year hiatus in 1966 and 1967 when local resident Charles Lemieux provided the service. In the early days, operating out of a garage and office on Post Road under the tutelage of Arthur C. Audley , Westport Ambulance provided for the care of local residents into the 1960's. In 1968, Edwin Audley, a nephew of Arthur C. Audley, and a Westport Police Officer took over the day-to-day operation of the ambulance service from his home on Maplewood Avenue. With the July 1, 1980 , Department of Health regulation changes and a 1978 ambulance call volume of 1,127 incidents, Edwin Audley spoke with First Selectwoman Jacqueline P. Heneage to reorganize the town's emergency medical service. In 1979, the State Department of Health amended their regulations to require that all emergency medical service vehicles be staffed by two certified Emergency Medical Technicians. At the time Westport 's ambulance service was being operated by Edwin Audley and B ernard Stahursky , as a semi-private organization receiving minor funding from the town. Mr. Audley was assisted by a small corps of paid EMTs who drove the ambulance to the scene where they received additional assistance from members of the Westport Police Department. The Westport Police Department, as the certified First Responders, provided EMT or MRT certified officers to assist with each ambulance call. However, Westport 's increasing ambulance call volume and the new Department of Health regulations provoked new thinking on the delivery of emergency medical care to the residents. On March 6, 1979 , First Selectwoman Jacqueline P. Heneage appointed an Emergency Medical Service Study Committee to "review the past and present status of our ambulance service and to make recommendations for the future." Dr. Ernest Arnow was appointed Chairman of the committee comprised of Mr. Howard Dickstein , Dr. B enjamin Gordon , Dr. Arline Grant , Mrs. Hazel Rosenau , Mr. Sidney Siegel and two exofficio members of the Representative Town Committee, Dr. George Ingham and Mr. Gordon E. Perry . The Emergency Medical Service Study Committee spent the spring and summer of 1979, interviewing area EMS Coordinators, Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, and commercial ambulance service representatives. Additionally, interviews with local EMTs and Civil Defense personnel helped scope the committee's plan. After reviewing proposals for: 1) Commercial Ambulance Service The EMS Study Committee on June 27, 1979 , recommended that then Sergeant Edwin Audley , "be immediately promoted to Lieutenant to be in charge of a separate Emergency Medical Service Division of the Westport Police Department under the responsibility of the Chief of Police." Lt. Audley was to be assisted by four paid civilian EMT's as the recruitment and training of volunteer personnel moved forward. The committee further recommended that "Donation of $35 be requested of ambulance users," and "The Committee strongly recommends that a garage be built to house the two ambulances and the EMS supply vehicle." With a 1977 Ford Modular Ambulance as a primary unit and a 1973 Cadillac ambulance as the secondary unit, along with a "1969 International medical supply truck" utilized for disaster response, Westport Emergency Medical Service was rolling to success. In July, 1979, Lieutenant Audley moved forward with RTM budget requests for appropriations necessary to hire the additional paid civilian EMTs and began formulating the future of Westport Volunteer EMS . He quickly conducted a public relations drive seeking volunteers to form the new volunteer organization and in September 1979, began teaching an EMT course to train future volunteers. On September 3, 1979 an organizational meeting of prospective EMS volunteers was held. In October 1979, Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service was officially organized with a B oard of Directors. Neil Harding was elected as the first President. The newly formed organization was incorporated in November 1979. In December 1988, the Town of Westport and Norwalk Hospital entered into a contract to supply Paramedic personnel to Westport EMS and V EMS 24/7 elevating the level of emergency care from the prior EMT-I level. Today, in addition to the continuing relationship with Norwalk Hospital Paramedic Service, several members of Westport EMS and V EMS operate at the Paramedic level. In the late 1990's during several visits to Westport by President William Clinton , the crews of Westport V EMS worked alongside the White House Medical Unit to provide emergency medical services, if necessary, to the President and his staff. The unit was rewarded with Presidential handshakes and well wishes. Emergency Medical Services magazine awarded Westport V EMS their Gold Award in 2000 as the " B est Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Corps" in the country. Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service will celebrate its 25th Anniversary during 2004. We salute the current members for their dedication to the service and for "Volunteering the Gift of Life." We also thank the thousands of members who have volunteered their service before us and we look forward to thousands who will accept the challenge to volunteer with us in the future.
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