January 3, 2018
Dear Students,
As reported in The Record and elsewhere, the local Village Ambulance Service has been working toward a merger with North Adams Ambulance Service. The merger is now official.
This move will make the operation financially sustainable for the long term and even increase the amount of overnight coverage.
You should notice no substantive change. In an emergency, you should still dial 911. For non-urgent help you can call 413-597-4545. Ambulances will continue to be stationed on Water Street. At some point, the combined service will adopt a new name. Until then even the vehicles and uniforms will look as they have.
The North Adams service already has experience with college campus work. MCLA is in their current service area, and they already provide mutual aid here on our campus when Village is tied up elsewhere.
This seems a good moment to remind you of a point that, in our experience, is unclear to some students. It’s regarding the right to refuse service. State regulation stipulates that such refusal cannot be legally made by anyone who shows signs of impairment from alcohol or drug use, or other causes.
The ambulance service is an important supplement to the great work that JAs, HCs, and many others of you do to help keep your friends safe. I thank you for that important care.
Wishing you a wonderful break and a healthy, safe start to the new year.
Marlene Sandstrom, Dean of the College
Steve Klass, VP for Campus Life