The Stony Brook Fire Department Rescue Squad is charged with two major responsibilities. One is providing Emergency Medical Services to the residents of the Stony Brook Fire District. Two, perform specialized rescue activities, such as vehicle extrication, rope and confined space rescue, ice and water rescue.

Emergency Medical Services: Our two New York State Certified Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances respond to approximately 500 calls every year for emergency medical treatment and transportation to one of the four nearby hospital emergency care units.

Staffed by New York State Certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) providing BLS level of care, including oxygen therapy, cardiac defibrillation (in cases of cardiac arrest), treatment of severe allergic reactions, and asthma attacks. In addition, EMTs are trained in bleeding control, airway management, and fracture stabilization. Our EMT-CCs (Critical Care) and Paramedics are also trained in Advanced Life Support (ALS) when required. The ALS level of care includes IV therapy, intubation, EKG monitoring, and other life-saving measures.

An ambulance crew consists of at least one Emergency Medical Technician (State Law), two first-aid assistants, who are trained to assist the EMT in providing emergency medical care, CPR, lifting, and the carrying of the patient. The ambulance driver has also undergone specialized training in Emergency Vehicle Operations to get the crew and the patient to the hospital safely. There are no typical ambulance calls; every 911 call is different and receives prompt, caring and competent attention.

Specialized Rescue Activities: Members of the Stony Brook Fire Department Rescue Squad have gone beyond training in basic and advanced fire fighting. These members have increased their realm of activities to include training in specialized rescue scenarios. Members receive training and drilling in Vehicle Extrication (Heavy Rescue), Rope and Confined Space Rescue, Ice Rescue and Water Rescue.

Vehicle Extrication: By using specialized tools, such as the Spreaders, aka The Jaws of Life and the Cutters, victims of vehicle accidents were they are trapped with in the passenger compartment of the vehicle are freed from the wreckage by actually removing the vehicle body from around them. This is all being done as the EMTs are assessing and treating the occupant(s).

Rope and Confined Space Rescue: Trained to lower themselves down a elevator shaft to assist occupants trapped in a stuck elevator and be raised back up to the floor with specialized pulleys, harnesses and ropes, with the freed and thankful occupant. Crawling into a storm drain to rescue a child who has become trapped in piping under the road leading to a sump, these members have gone the extra mile to train and become proficient in this field.

This team is part of the Northern Brookhaven Technical Rescue Taskforce, which is a consortium of fire departments from the north shore of Brookhaven Town, who have pooled their resources and personnel the form a response team that is capable of responding to incidents involving the need for rope rescue or confined spaces.

Ice Rescue: Using cold water immersion suits, tether ropes and harnesses, these members can be seen on the Stony Brook Mill Pond crawling across the ice and into the water, anytime between January and early March - whenever there is ice on the pond. Practicing removing victims from a hole in the ice, these members actually work up a sweat in the freezing cold water.

Several years ago this team successfully help remove a horse from the pond.

Water Rescue: As Stony Brook is a water front community, we utilize an 18 foot, rigid hull, inflatable Zodiac boat for water rescue calls.

This craft, normally in the water at the Stony Brook Yacht Club during warmer weather, but trailered in the winter and available for immediate use, provides the residents of Stony Brook and those who use the beach and water for their enjoyment with close-by water rescue capabilities.

The Zodiac inflatable craft was chosen as much of the area is in very shallow water.