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RICK PRIBNOW

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BACKGROUND: Rick Pribnow is a mechanical/marine engineer who is now retired but who, for the last 10 years of his career, worked at the Museum of Natural History in New York City as its Senior Director of Facilities and Operations. Rick has been living in Killingworth the past 17 years and is an EMT.

Q: How long have you been an EMT and why did you decide to become one?

PRIBNOW: I have been an EMT a little over a year, and I decided to do it because I was looking for something that would be mentally challenging and totally different from what I did professionally.

Q: What are the greatest challenges?

PRIBNOW: It is challenging to stay up to date with changing techniques and regulations.

Q: What’s been your most memorable experience?

PRIBNOW: On my first ride on an ambulance to Bridgeport I had to perform CPR on a patient. A bit nerve wracking.

Q: What characterizes the EMTs here in Killingworth?

PRIBNOW: The EMTs here in Killingworth are among the most generous co-workers I have ever been associated within in giving their time and helping us new guys get up to speed.

Q: Any advice for those thinking of becoming EMTs here?

PRIBNOW: Fr anyone thinking of becoming an EMT, I would say it is extremely rewarding to be part of a team that does so much good for the community.

 

LISA ANDERSON

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BACKGROUND: Lisa Anderson is a member of the KAA board and an EMT who moved to Killingworth from California in 2012.

Q: You came here from California. Were you an EMT there? And, if so, how different is this experience?

ANDERSON: I was an EMT in Oakland for a commercial service and also worked as a trauma-room tech for one of the largest trauma centers in northern California. Working for a commercial service vs. a community volunteer service I found really interesting.  I love the volunteer system. It’s so nice to see the passion we all have for what we’re doing day and night. We truly have an amazing group of fire/EMS volunteers in Killingworth.

Q: How long have you worked as an EMT?

ANDERSON: Nine years.

Q: Why did you decide to become one?

ANDERSON: I was working in Corporate America and was tired of making money for other people. I am a giver, not a taker.

Q: You were mentioned specifically in our Testimonials section by a cyclist who fell in Chatfield Hollow and needed help. He said he is forever grateful for your assistance. You remember that incident?

ANDERSON: I do. I am super happy I was able to help him and get him to the hospital comfortably.

Q: Approximately how many calls were you on last year?

ANDERSON: I do not recall the amount of calls I ran this past year. I did run a good amount. I have some amazing partners I have shared those calls with. I am appreciative for the great group we have at KAA.

Q: What should people know about the KAA that perhaps they don’t?

ANDERSON: KAA is a great volunteer system, and I have enjoyed being a part of it the past three years. Being new to the community, it has been a great way to meet people and learn more about the town of Killingworth. I highly encourage anyone who loves to help to come join our fabulous system. Even if you do not want or can’t run calls, we have an amazing board and opportunities for reaching out to our community to help educate folks of health-care needs.

The KAA salutes True Value

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The Killingworth Ambulance Association would like to thank Killingworth True Value and Tom Cost, Jr., for replacing a broken rope on the flagpole outside the building. The rope was broken during one of the recent storms, and the KAA needed to install a new one.

That, as it turned out, was not as easy as it might seem because finding someone who could reach the top of the pole was challenging. The fire company doesn’t have a ladder truck, and the local tree companies have been busy cleaning up damage from the storms.

So the KAA approached Killingworth True Value and asked if it would install the rope for a fee. The store declined. Instead, it said it would do it for nothing. The KAA is grateful for the support it received … and has received … from Killingworth True Value and, in this instance, from Tom Cost, Jr., who installed the new rope.

JESS ACCETTA

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BACKGROUND: Jess Accetta is an EMT and nursing student with a degree in biology. She’s been an EMT in Killingworth for two years, is an EMT with the Clinton Ambulance and is a resident of Clinton. She is also the youngest EMT with the Killingworth department.

Q: You’re the youngest EMT in the KAA. When did you decide this was something you were interested in and why?

ACCETTA: I chose to come to the KAA after being trained here and enjoying the camaraderie, team work and pride displayed in every task that’s presented to these responders. It’s an honor to work alongside such incredible people every day. I’ve always liked helping people, and I’m going to school to be a nurse. When I turned 18, taking an EMT class seemed like the perfect start. Being a little younger has not made a difference … aside, that is, from being called “kid.” On every call or situation that we’re presented with, being the youngest or oldest EMT doesn’t make a difference. We’re all equals and offer aid to the best of our abilities.

Q: You also work as an EMT with the Clinton Ambulance. How does that experience differ from the KAA?

ACCETTA: Both departments differ from each other, but the end goal is the same: Do the job we’re called for with the utmost respect and care. In Clinton, I work alongside the police department and first responding EMTs and firefighters, and we’re all in one building together. In Killingworth, despite the buildings being separate (they are next-door to each other), we all work together and coordinate with the Connecticut State Police when needed to achieve our results.

Q: Are there ever times you’re called by both at the same time? And, if so, what do you do?

ACCETTA: Sometimes emergencies are so big in nature that we have to call a mutual-aid department, or we simply don’t have the manpower to respond to a call and call for mutual aid. Towns surrounding us all follow the same practice; we have each other’s backs. If I’m scheduled for either town, and the other needs help, it’s hard to have to let it go. If I give my time commitment to one, I have to follow through. However, if both have a call, and both need an EMT (this has happened), I check to see the nature of the call and wait to hear a second tone and who still needs help. Whichever town has the call with need of more help is where I’ll go. I always carry a spare T-shirt, just in case.

Q: What are your career goals, and how does the KAA help you achieve them?

ACCETTA: Career wise, I’m studying to be a Pediatric Endocronology/Oncology nurse. KAA helped set me on the right path with interest in health care, practices in patient care and priceless experience and constant support. I’m very grateful to work alongside members of the KAA.

Q: What’s your message for teens or college-aged students interested in following your path?

ACCETTA: Just try it. It’s a lot of hard work and commitment. Not everyone wants to get up at 0200, and some days are harder than others. But if you have the passion for compassion and the drive to help others around you this is the right place to be.

KAA’s Clifton named to H-K Hall of Fame

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KAA board member Mark Clifton, who last year was named Killingworth’s Citizen of the Year, has been chosen to the Haddam-Killingworth Hall of Fame.

Clifton was named along with Killingworth’s Linda Dudek as one of six members of the Class of 2018. All will be honored at the Hall’s 10th annual induction May 3 at the Riverhouse in Haddam, with tickets available for purchase at all school offices and the Regional School District 17 Central Office.

For Clifton, it’s another in a year of significant events. He was chosen Killingworth’s Citizen of the Year last September, with the award given at the town’s 350th anniversary. One month later, his daughter, Hillary, was married at Deer Lake, where Clifton is the director.

Now this.

“It’s been a good run,” he said. “I think this is more focused on the work I’ve done with youths, probably for the 40 years I’ve been working with them.”

That’s part of it. The Haddam-Killingworth Hall of Fame was established in 2009 to honor individuals like Clifton who exhibit exemplary commitment to the service of children — and he has, as director of the Deer Lake camp and as a former Scoutmaster, Explorers Advocate and organizer of rock climbs and backpacking trips into the Adirondacks and Vermont.

But the award also honors those with an outstanding service to the community, and Clifton scores there, too. In addition to serving the KAA, where he is a former board president, he’s been associated with the Killingworth Volunteer Fire Company and Municipal Land Use Committee and has been a HeartSafe Community Advocate.

“I’m honored,” Clifton said of joining the H-K Hall of Fame. “If you look at all the people who have gotten in, you’re in great company. I only hope I can continue to live up the standard of those who received it before me.”

Apply Now for KAA’s 2018 Scholarships

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There is still time to apply for the Killingworth Ambulance Association’s 2018 collegiate scholarship, with applications available to graduating seniors who are residents in Killingworth and enrolled in private or public high schools. Applicants must not only plan on attending a continuing-education institution (two or four years) but have been accepted to that school, too. They must also:

  • major in the medical, emergency services (fire, police, etc.) or other allied fields
  • have performed community service
  • maintained at least a 3.0 GPA.

To print the application, click on this link: KILLINGWORTH AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP 2018.

The application must be postmarked no later than Friday, April 13, 2018 and sent to the Killingworth Ambulance Association Scholarship Committee, PO Box 749, Killingworth, CT 06419. Certificates of scholarship will be awarded in June. For more information, please contact the Killingworth Ambulance Association at 860-301-3564.

KAA to elect board members at March meeting

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The Killingworth Ambulance Association will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m., with a new board of directors scheduled to be elected. The meeting will be at the KAA’s headquarters at 335 Route 81, Killingworth.

Able to witness “professionalism and speed”

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“I brought my dogs for a walk to Chatfield Hollow on a sunny but frigid late January afternoon — a day when there were few cars in the parking lot, the temperature was 18 degrees and the conditions everywhere were extremely icy. As I was heading back from our walk, I noticed a gentleman walking in front of me on a path dotted by large rocks and boulders just before you get to the stream. Before I knew it, he slipped and fell backward without bracing himself — and I heard a thick “thud” when his head struck the ground. I ran over to him, but he was unresponsive. I kept saying, “Hello, sir, are you OK?” No response. At that moment, I realized I had left my cell phone in the car, mostly because I know that cell phone coverage at Chatfield is spotty at best. Luckily, three young men, probably aged somewhere between 18 and 21, were walking toward us from a distance. I yelled to them, “Call 911! Please hurry!” They did and rushed over to help. While they were on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, the man who had fallen regained consciousness and opened his eyes. The boys asked him if he knew his name and age. He seemed to know his name, but when asked his age, he said, “Twenty seven.” Clearly, he was much older. It wasn’t long afterward that the Killingworth Volunteer Fire Department showed up, and I was amazed at how quickly they arrived. However, because it was January, the main road was gated off. So, first responders had to jump some hurdles — literally —  to reach the man. But as they did, they called the state DEP, which gave them the combination of the lock to the wooden gate at the park’s entrance and allowed them to drive to the victim. It was so icy, however, that one of the EMTs fell upon exiting one of the trucks. It was a veritable skating rink! The EMTs quickly assessed the situation and gently but firmly guided the man into the ambulance. I was so impressed with how quick and organized they were, given the environmental obstacles. The man was taken to Middlesex Hospital and diagnosed with a concussion. I was able to witness the Killingworth Volunteer Fire Department’s professionalism and speed in this situation, which could have been more dire had help not arrived quickly. It feels good to live in a town were so many dedicate their time, knowledge and care to those of us who live here.”

Lorinne Sekban,

Killingworth

MARGUERITE HAAGA

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BACKGROUND: Marguerite Haaga is a paramedic, Emergency Medical Services instructor and member of the Killingworth Ambulance Association’s board of directors. She and her husband, Mike, live in Killingworth, but she works primarily in a busy system in Fairfield County, often in Bridgeport where she was born. She became a paramedic in 1989 and is a part of an adjunct faculty, teaching paramedic classes at Capital Community College.

Q: Why did you decide to become an EMT?

HAAGA: I took an EMT class as an easy “4” credit class back in 1978. Then, I started as a volunteer in the Stratford EMS.

Q: Did you and your husband become EMTs together or was one of you first?

HAAGA: Mike took the EMT class five years after I did.

Q: Did you have something to do with his decision?

HAAGA: Yes, the reason he became an EMT is that he couldn’t understand why, when we were going out for dinner, we’d be eating and then I’d go out on a call. So then we weren’t together.

Q: What happens if you get a call at midnight? Who goes — you, your husband or both?

HAAGA: If there is no second crew member that calls in, then at times we do calls together. We have done many emergency calls as a couple.

Q: What do you find challenging or rewarding about being an EMT?

HAAGA: As a paramedic, the challenge is assessing and treating the patient.

 

MIKE HAAGA

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BACKGROUND: Mike Haaga is a paramedic, an EMS instructor and the KAA’s Chief of Service. He and his wife Marguerite, whom he met while the two attended the University of Connecticut, have lived in Killingworth since 1992.

Q: What’s the best thing about being an EMT?

HAAGA: Of course, the best part is when you actually save a life. However, in EMS the opportunity to save a life is rare, but the opportunity to impact a life is on every call.

Q: How many calls do you go on in a typical year?

HAAGA: I do 10 to 15 calls a year in Killingworth and around 300 a year as a paramedic.

Q: You and your wife, Marguerite, are EMTs. Did you do your training together?

HAAGA: No. She was an EMT when we met, but she was the main reason I became an EMT.

Q: What are the challenges of having both of you on call?

HAAGA: We try not to be on call at the same time. She is usually on call when I’m working evenings as a medic.

Q: How has being an EMT changed since you first got involved?

HAAGA: There have been many advances in emergency medicine over the past 30 years — with the most important that emergency medical services are finally being recognized as a legitimate part of the health-care team. We are more than “ambulance drivers.” We are health-care professionals.