It’s Child Passenger Safety Week! Car seat safety begins at home, before leaving your house, make sure your kids are in the right car seat for their age and size. When installed correctly, car seat... restraints can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers. Learn more at https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/right-seat
#ChildPassengerSafetyWeek #TheRightSeat

We are grateful for our dedicated team at American Ambulance and our community who entrust us with their care!
#WorldGratitudeDay #AmericanAmbulance

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children, learn how to keep kids safe this Child Passenger Safety Week. We urge parents and caregivers to protect their child’s future at every stage of... life, by making sure they secure them in the correct car seat for their age, height, and weight. Learn more at https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/right-seat
#ChildPassengerSafetyWeek #TheRightSeat

September 17th is World Patient Safety Day and American Ambulance and American Professional Educational Services are committed to your safety while providing essential care to our community. Our ...training and successful implementation of patient safety strategies is fundamental to delivering quality health services. Your health and safety are our top priority.
#WorldPatientSafetyDay

Dedicated to serving our community every day.
#GoodMorning #AmericanAmbulance

On Patriot Day, September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, we honor every life that was taken too soon. We pay tribute to the first responders — firefighters, law enforcement officers, ...emergency workers, and service members — who answered the call of duty, and the brave civilians who responded with courage to save lives that day. We also remember the patriotism and valor of our service members and are inspired by their heroism. We will never forget what happened on September 11, 2001, or those who lost their lives.
#WeWillNeverForget #PatriotDay

Take the first step in your healthcare career through CERA – Community Emergency Responder Academy, a no cost program to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) while earning a training wage. ...Upon successful completion of the 7-week program, join our team as a fully qualified, full-time EMT with American Ambulance. Learn more from recent graduate Brendan Paone-Hart at http://ow.ly/Fk0G50KESvb and sign up today!
#CERA #EMT #HealthcareCareer #AmericanAmbulance #AmericanProTraining

On Labor Day, we pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. Enjoy this day!
#HappyLaborDay

As kids head back to school this week, please remember to slow down and be aware of children boarding school buses. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks and ...stop for children in crosswalks. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles. Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Drivers must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

Also, take a moment to remind your child about getting on and off the bus safely. When the school bus arrives, your child should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, the door opens, and the driver says it’s okay before approaching the bus door. Your child should use the handrails to avoid falling. Make sure kids don’t have long drawcords or straps on backpacks that could get caught on a handrail or door when boarding. Your child should never walk behind a school bus and should also make eye contact with the bus driver before crossing to make sure the driver can see him/her and keeps the bus lights flashing to stop other cars.. If your child drops something near the school bus, like a ball or book, the safest thing is for your child to tell the bus driver right away. Your child should not try to pick up the item, because the driver might not be able to see him/her.

#BackToSchool #SchoolBusSafety

It’s National Dog Day and we are excited to celebrate all our furry friends! Share photos and tell us how you are celebrating the day with your dog?
#NationalDogDay #FurryFriends

As high school students transition to college life, they will learn the joys and challenges of life on campus. Listen to what your kids have to say about how they’re feeling before jumping in with ...solutions. Be supportive as they gain confidence to navigate this new chapter on their own. Parents may get overwhelmed with mixed emotions, but try to take a moment to acknowledge all of the good things this new adventure means and will bring for both of you.
#CollegeLife #EmptyNest

As we soak in the last days of summer, take some time to make the most of August while you can! With back to school right around the corner, combat the stressful end-of-summer blues and make the last... few weeks memorable. Here are our favorite end of summer activities we hope you might enjoy!

Head to the beach

Catch a sunrise or a sunset

Visit a local fair or farmer’s market

Explore the woods on a hike

Host a picnic

Enjoy live outdoor music

Star gaze

#SoakUpSummer

American Ambulance enjoyed visiting Summer Kindercamp hosted by the Norwich Recreation Department as they celebrated Super Hero Week. The kids loved touring the ambulance and learning more about what... Paramedics and EMTs do in service to our community. Thank you so much for having us, we loved spending time with these great kids!
#AmericanAmbulance #SuperHeroWeek

Heading outside to hike, bike, or camp? Don’t forget to protect against insect bites. Most mosquito bites are irritating but harmless, though some can transmit encephalitis and West Nile virus, ...which can cause severe illness with headache, high fever and bodily weakness. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, which can be treated if recognized early, so look for flu-like symptoms and rashes. Left untreated, it can cause joint and muscle pain, fatigue, heart problems and neurological issues.

Here are some tips to stay bite-free this summer:

Stay away from stagnant water where mosquitoes congregate and heavily wooded areas with deer ticks.

Avoid perfumes and scented soaps which can attract some insects.

Long pants and sleeves are a great way to limit your skin exposure. Don’t wear bright clothing or flowery prints which can attract honey bees and hornets.

Use DEET insect repellents and avoid contact with your mouth and eyes. Once you’re back inside, shower to wash away the repellent and any ticks that haven’t yet latched onto your body and check your entire body thoroughly.

Resist walking barefoot in the grass. Bees can often be on the ground and this will help you avoid being stung.

If you do get bitten, apply an ice pack for 10-15 minutes 3-4 times a day and take Benadryl for itching relief. Bites rarely develop into a skin infection, but keep an eye on bites for several days. If there is any question, call your doctor to have it evaluated.

Know the signs of anaphylactic (rapidly progressing allergic) reaction to a bite, most commonly associated with stings by bees, wasps, or hornets. Hives, swelling (of the face, eyes, tongue, and lips), throat tightness, difficulty breathing, vomiting, or feeling faint or lightheaded are all signs you should immediately call 911.

Protect your pets, too. Your four-legged family members can also get diseases from insects so make sure to use flea and tick repellants.

#SummerBugs #FightBites

Please join us in congratulating Greg Allard as he celebrates 30 years of service with American Ambulance!
#AmericanAmbulance #30Years

Nothing beats the heat like swimming! Before you dive into the water, make sure you follow these safety tips:

Learning to swim is the best way to prepare kids for the water. Children may be ...at lower risk of drowning if they have had some swimming instruction.

Even strong swimmers shouldn’t swim alone. In public places, swim with a lifeguard on duty. They’re trained for emergencies and keep an eye on unsafe water conditions.

While the pool or beach can be relaxing for parents, they still need to be alert and within arms reach of young children. Older children who are experienced swimmers should still be supervised and taught to avoid dangerous flips or dives.

If you’re doing activities on the open water such as boating, children should wear a Coast Guard-certified life jacket. Water wings, floaties, or kickboards aren’t a substitute and should only be used with an adult nearby.

Holding your breath is an important part of learning to swim. However, it’s dangerous for children to do this for extended periods of time underwater which can make them hyperventilate or pass out.

Make sure you know where the drains are in the pools you swim in and teach kids to stay away. Bathing suits or hair may get caught in the drain, which can lead to injury or even drowning.

People that are sick, especially with symptoms like diarrhea should not swim. The germs that cause illness can spread in the water and make others sick. It’s best to shower or rinse off before getting into the water.

Avoid swallowing water in any environment (pool, ocean, lake, etc). Just one mouthful of water containing certain germs can make you sick for up to 3 weeks.

Even following water safety tips, accidents happen. Bystanders are often the first to aid a drowning victim, so learning how to perform CPR on children and adults can save a life. To be prepared for an emergency, sign up for a CPR class today at http://ow.ly/xhS250K6zP5

#SummertimeSwimming #WaterSafety #WatchKidsAroundWater

A group of local kids visited American Ambulance and enjoyed their tour, meeting our team, seeing our vehicles and equipment, and hearing more about the services we provide to the community. They ...were so thankful for the time we spent with them that they returned today with donuts as a thank you! We are so happy you enjoyed your visit with us!
#EMSNextGeneration #AmericanAmbulance #ServingTheCommunity

Summer is in full swing and our region is expected to experience temperatures above 90° this week. Make sure to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness. It’s important to pay attention to ...warning signs like dizziness, paleness, weakness, nausea, confusion, or a rapid pulse. Watch for escalation to a more serious state like heat stroke, which is often indicated by dry skin instead of heavy sweating. Call 911 immediately and move the person to a cooler place and help lower their temperature with cool cloths, a cool bath, or spray them with water. Do not give a person with heat stroke anything to drink.

Staying hydrated is crucial to your overall health, so make drinking water a priority to prevent heat-related illness. During the hottest days of summer, we can often underestimate how much water we need to drink. You should be drinking water regularly throughout the day, before you ever get thirsty. Try adding some flavor with fresh fruit or even a small splash of fruit juice. You can also try frozen ice pops, coconut water, or sports drinks to beat the heat.

Some fruits and vegetables are higher in water content than others, so try to work those into your diet as much as possible during the summer to stay hydrated. Water-dense produce include: Watermelon, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Pineapples, Cantaloupe, Peaches, Strawberries, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Apples, Radishes, Celery, and Bell Peppers. Smoothies, salads and even chilled summer soups are great ways to get a boost of hydration in your daily meals!

#BeatTheHeat #SummerHydration

With kids out of school for the summer and playing outside, it’s important to remember these safety tips when driving, backing out, and parking. Before you back out of a driveway or parking spot, ...walk around your vehicle to check for children running and playing. When using a backup camera, remember that kids, pets, and objects may be out of view but still in the path of your vehicle. When children play, they are often oblivious to cars and trucks around them. They may believe that motorists will watch out for them. Furthermore, every vehicle has a blind zone. As the size and height of a vehicle increases, so does the “blind zone” area. Large vehicles, trucks, SUVs, RVs, and vans are more likely than cars to be involved in backovers.

To avoid tragedies year-round, remember to stay alert. For longer trips, plan enough time to stop to stretch, get something to eat, return calls or text messages, and change drivers or rest if you feel drowsy. You know the rules, avoid risky behaviors. Do not text or drive distracted; obey posted speed limits; and always drive sober. Both alcohol and drugs whether legal or illicit can impair the skills critical for safe and responsible driving such as coordination, judgment, perception, and reaction time. Driver assistance technologies not only help protect you and your passengers, but also other drivers and pedestrians around you. Some of these technologies are designed to warn you if you’re at risk of an impending crash, while others are designed to take action to avoid a crash. Make sure you understand what driver assistance technologies you have and how they work.
#SummerSafety #DriveSafe #WatchForKids

If parents believe they would never forget their child in a hot car, they should think again. It can happen to anyone. During the summer, many families change their daily routines for vacations or ...other reasons, and that disruption and the stresses of everyday life can make these memory lapses more likely and is a common factor in these tragic incidents. We — as parents, caregivers, and bystanders — play a role in helping to make sure children are safe. Create safeguards. Ask your childcare provider to call if your child doesn’t show up for care as expected. Set reminders on your phone to check with your spouse or partner to make sure they have dropped the child off. Always keep vehicles locked and keys out of reach from little hands. Create visual reminders. Place the child’s diaper bag, jacket, or hat in the front passenger seat. Force yourself to go to the back seat. Keep your backpack, lunch box, or briefcase there every day. Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle for any length of time, regardless of the outside temperature. Vehicles can quickly heat up to potentially fatal levels on even mild-temperature days. Always lock your car doors and trunk, year-round, so children can’t get into unattended vehicles. If you see a child alone in a locked car, get them out immediately and call 911. A child in distress due to heat should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and rapidly cooled. Even on days with mild temperatures, the heat inside a closed vehicle can reach dangerous levels within an hour, posing major health risks to small children or pets left inside. Everyone can help prevent a tragedy.
#SummerSafety