“I live in Trailmark subdivision, and I already suffer from
lesser public service than residents outside of Trailmark,” said
Mal Bruce. He tells of waiting for an ambulance recently with his
70-year-old neighbor, who was suffering severe chest pains.
By By:Jennifer Smith
Trailmark residents who have felt isolated on their small
Littleton island in the middle of Chatfield State Park got some
relief March 21 when Littleton City Council voted 6-0 to accept
Lockheed Martin’s help with emergency services.
“I live in Trailmark subdivision, and I already suffer from
lesser public service than residents outside of Trailmark,” said
Mal Bruce. He tells of waiting for an ambulance recently with his
70-year-old neighbor, who was suffering severe chest
pains.
“I had the pleasure of comforting him and the displeasure of
waiting about 20 minutes for the first unit to arrive on the
scene,” said Bruce.
The subject of response times was one of Councilman Doug Clark’s
major issues in the 2005 election. Councilwoman Amy Conklin said
this contract was in the works even before then but was sidetracked
when the aeronautics company got distracted by Hurricane Katrina in
August 2005.
Lockheed and Littleton Fire Department already had a mutual-aid
agreement in place, at no cost to either agency, but Lockheed’s
limit was South Wadsworth Boulevard. This agreement expands that to
allow Lockheed’s fire trucks and ambulances to respond to calls in
Trailmark as well. The two agencies will be dispatched
simultaneously.
The contract acknowledges that Lockheed does not have an
advanced life-support medical unit, so LFD provides that additional
service to the company. Clark asked how that will affect Trailmark
when Lockheed is first on the scene there.
“I expect a uniform showing up at a victim’s house and rendering
aid beyond what the average citizen could provide,” responded LFD
Chief John Mullin, who lives in Trailmark himself.
“That’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick,” said
Bruce.