Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Michael Baskin

Eat, Drink & Be Merry … And Help the Berwyn Fire Company!

December 5, 2019
Comments

In the midst of all the Thanksgiving celebrations, I missed the start of the Berwyn-Devon Restaurant Week on Sunday, December 1 but the good news is that it runs through Saturday, Dec.7.

If you go to one of the participating restaurants – 30 Main, Alfredo Italian BYO, Berwyn Tavern or La Cabra Brewing through Saturday night, the restaurants will donate 20% of your bill (excluding tax and tip) to the Berwyn Fire Company. Support these community spirited restaurants and you support our local fire company!

Here’s a special treat for the beer drinkers in the community … If you are not looking for lunch or dinner, La Cabra has their newest beer on tap – Actionem Communem, brewed on-site, just for the Berwyn Fire Company.

According to La Cabra, “This American IPA was brewed to support the brave men and women of the Berwyn Fire Company. Heavily hopped for notes of classic citrus pith and tropical fruit with an extra dose of thanks for their tireless service, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to support their work keeping our community safe this holiday season”. The Actionem Communem beer on tap will be available after Restaurant Week ends … here’s hoping that it becomes La Cabra’s biggest seller! Thank you La Cabra Brewing for supporting Berwyn Fire Company!

All money raised through Restaurant Week will go towards replacing the Berwyn Fire Company’s 2002 Tahoe EMS responder with a 2020 Expedition. According to Berwyn Fire Company EMS Capt. Mike Baskin, “the primary use of the 18-year old vehicle is as a back-up paramedic responder when one of the ambulances is out of service and also goes to about 50 medical standbys per year. It is used by EMS officers and QRS (Quick Response Service) providers to render care at medical emergencies prior to or in addition to the arrival of an ambulance. We are attempting to use a combination of grant and targeted fund raising money to replace this rather than reduce capital and operational reserves. The total project is about $53,000.”

Dine and Donate to help the fire company — let’s fill La Cabra Brewing, 30 Main, Alfredo’s and Berwyn Tavern starting tonight through Saturday night and show our support for Berwyn Fire Company! (Alfredo’s participation is through tonight (Thursday) and does not include Friday and Saturday). These restaurants are generously donating 20% of your bill to the Berwyn Fire Company! All you have to to is Dine to Donate!

Make Sure to Print a Copy of the Restaurant Week ad (above) and bring it with you!

Substance Abuse Discussion Continues — Berwyn Fire Company EMS Captain weighs in

July 27, 2015
2 Comments

Substance abuseContinuing the substance abuse discussion, Berwyn Fire Company EMS Capt. Michael Baskin provides background about Narcan and its use in heroin overdose situations. Important contact information is provided at the end of his remarks.

As a resident, it is reassuring to know that the local fire company and police department personnel are trained and equipped to handle drug abuse situations. Discussions about drugs and their consequences are extremely important — perhaps a community forum with the school administration, police department, fire company, parents and residents.

Pattye,
Thank you for bringing some of these concepts to the forefront of your community readers.

Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a medication used in opioid overdoses to counteract life-threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system. If administered early enough, an overdose victim will begin to get a respiratory drive back, and shortly after become alert and aware. Naloxone only works if a person has opioids in their system; the medication has no effect if opioids are absent. There are many drugs that people overdose on that Narcan has no effect on. It is a temporary drug that wears off in 20-90 minutes and therefore anyone who received this drug needs to get to advanced care as the effects of the opioid may return after Narcan wears off.

As was noted, Tredyffrin police have been carrying Narcan for a little while now and have already administered it successfully. Berwyn, Radnor and Malvern fire company paramedics (the 3 primary paramedic providers to T/E) and other services have had Narcan as Advanced Life Support (ALS) providers for decades. As of July 1st, 2015 the Department of Health has allowed for Basic Life Support (BLS) to have access to Narcan in addition to the ALS. Departments across the Commonwealth are going through training now.

From a community approach perspective, the T/E community is well covered with Narcan access in an emergency. In extreme situations, providing rescue breathing and/or CPR to an overdose victim who is not breathing will provide needed oxygen prior to emergency services arriving. The ideal community focus needs to be preventing the need to ever use Narcan. Community, family and professional help should be available to anyone who needs it. Accepting that our community is not immune to these problems is a very big start.

Community education of drug, alcohol, mental illness and suicide prevention is a tremendous help. Acceptance of those who have these problems as a community is what leads us to success. By isolating, hiding, alienating or ignoring people who need guidance, we hurt rather then help this goal.

Here are some useful local numbers:
The Chester County Drug & Alcohol Hotline: 610-344-6620.
Crisis Counseling: 610-280-3270
Chester County Suicide Prevention: 610-344-6265

These numbers are just as much for someone searching for help personally as they are for someone concerned about another.

Respectfully,
Michael S Baskin
EMS Captain, Berwyn Fire Co

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