NEW BEDFORD – Eleven local emergency medical services organizations have been honored as recipients of the 2026 Southcoast Health Emergency Medical Services Support Grant Program.
The awardees were honored during a ceremony at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford on June 22.
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“We are delighted to offer this support,” said Renee Clark, chief operating officer and executive vice president at Southcoast Health, a health system that operates Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, St. Luke’s Hospital, and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.
At the ceremony, Clark told first responders that they are “the first to deliver care, wherever it is needed, and you create a warm handoff to our hospital emergency departments with the utmost skill and compassion. “We greatly appreciate the unwavering support of all our EMS partners in caring for the South Coast region and hope this opportunity makes a positive difference for your teams.”
Over $100,000 was awarded to the 11 organizations, including the Little Compton and Portsmouth fire departments, to support specific initiatives or equipment upgrades that will directly impact patient care.
Now in its second year, the Southcoast Health EMS Support Grant is funded through the Southcoast Health Community Health and Wellness Program. Grant funds are intended to provide municipal-owned EMS organizations that deliver direct patient care in the South Coast region with financial support to enhance the critical services they provide.
The awardees, and how the money will be used, included:
- Fairhaven Fire Department, funding for a training mannequin.
- Fall River Fire Department, funding for a training mannequin.
- Freetown Fire Department, funding for a training mannequin.
- Lakeville Fire Department, funding for video laryngoscopes.
- Little Compton Fire Department, funding for a training mannequin.
- Marion Fire Department, funding for video laryngoscopes
- New Bedford EMS, funding for their prehospital blood transfusion program
- Portsmouth Fire Department, funding for portable ventilators
- Rochester Fire Department, funding for their emergency services outcomes integration project
- Swansea Ambulance Corps, funding to upgrade to its Zoll X advanced defibrillator
- Westport Fire Department, funding for video laryngoscopes
“As a community health system, we see firsthand the essential services these organizations provide to the patients and communities we collectively serve,” said David McCready, CEO and president of Southcoast Health. “Through this program, we are proud to support them in the lifesaving work they do. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with all of our EMS colleagues to improve the overall health and wellness of our region.”
Capt. Randall Watt of the Little Compton Fire Department said the department staff will use the funds to strengthen skills related to medical emergencies – including airway management, intravenous skills – and cardiac emergencies.
“This will ensure that the people of Little Compton and surrounding communities receive the best care possible,” he said.
Portsmouth Fire Chief Paul Ford said the town will be better able to “provide a higher level of care for patients who are critically ill.”
“This marks a noteworthy development in how we, as a department, can manage our patients,” he said.
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
