Cataldo Ambulance Service and Atlantic Ambulance Service (a division of Cataldo Ambulance Service) provide dedicated ambulance

Ambulance

An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...

 (EMS

Emergency medical services

Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...

) services to twelve communities throughout the Greater Boston

Greater Boston

Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston. Due to ambiguity in usage, the size of the area referred to can be anywhere between that of the metropolitan statistical area of Boston and that of the city's combined statistical area which includes...

 and North Shore

North Shore (Massachusetts)

The North Shore is a region in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, loosely defined as the coastal area between Boston and New Hampshire. The region is made up both of a rocky coastline, dotted with marshes and wetlands, as well as several beaches and natural harbors. The North Shore is an important...

 areas in the U.S. Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

. They serve the following communities: Chelsea

Chelsea, Massachusetts

Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...

, Everett

Everett, Massachusetts

Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council...

, Lynn

Lynn, Massachusetts

Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:...

, Malden

Malden, Massachusetts

Malden is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 59,450 at the 2010 census. In 2009 Malden was ranked as the "Best Place to Raise Your Kids" in Massachusetts by Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine.-History:...

, Marblehead

Marblehead, Massachusetts

Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...

, Melrose

Melrose, Massachusetts

-Government:Robert J. Dolan is the mayor. Melrose is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by Paul Brodeur . Katherine Clark is the state senator for wards 1 through 5 and Thomas McGee is the state senator for wards 6 and 7. Melrose is part of the seventh Congressional...

, Newton

Newton, Massachusetts

Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...

, Peabody

Peabody, Massachusetts

Peabody is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population is about 53,000. Peabody is located in Boston's North Shore suburban area.- History :...

, Revere

Revere, Massachusetts

Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...

, Salem

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...

, Saugus

Saugus, Massachusetts

Saugus is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 26,628 at the 2010 census.-History:Saugus was first settled in 1629. Saugus is an Indian name believed to mean "great" or "extended"...

, and Somerville

Somerville, Massachusetts

Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...

. With base locations throughout all of their 911 communities, Cataldo and Atlantic Ambulance have a wide service area dedicating emergency services, primary backup services, as well as medical transportation to a number of nursing homes, hospitals and other medical facilities throughout the Greater Boston and North Shore areas.

Company Divisions

Cataldo Ambulance operates with three divisions, each with their respective dispatch/operations centers.

Somerville Division

The Somerville division, the company's original region, handles emergency and non-emergency services to multiple cities in the northern Metro Boston area. The company's main administrative departments operate out of the Somerville division - including human resources, public relations, training/clinical education, communications, etc... The Somerville division's operations center was originally located in Somerville, hence the name, but has recently moved to Malden. See Company History. The division is referred to as the "Somerville division" however the operations center is called "Malden Operations."

Boston Division

Cataldo's Boston division operates out of a base in Roslindale, which houses an average of 20 ambulances, 9 chair car vans, the Director of Operations (his vehicle and office), a clinical field supervisor, crew quarters, and a dedicated dispatch center for this division. The Boston division handles 911 emergencies for the City of Newton, as well as many contracts in Boston and surrounding areas. Their most notable contracts are with: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts is a major flagship teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. It was formed out of the 1996 merger of Beth Israel Hospital and New England Deaconess Hospital...

 (BIDMC), the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, Children's Hospital Boston

Children's Hospital Boston

Children's Hospital Boston is a 396-licensed bed children's hospital in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area of Boston, Massachusetts.At 300 Longwood Avenue, Children's is adjacent both to its teaching affiliate, Harvard Medical School, and to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute...

 (CHB) and Partners HealthCare

Partners HealthCare

Partners HealthCare is a non-profit organization that owns several hospitals in Massachusetts, primarily in the Boston area. Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital founded the organization in 1994...

. The BIDMC, in 2007, sponsored two personalized ambulances, via donations, to Cataldo Ambulance for the sole use of interfacility transport. The Boston division also handles backup (along with other private companies) to Boston EMS for 911 response to the City of Boston . Additionally, on March 1, 2009 in partnership with Fallon Ambulance, Cataldo's Boston Division began servicing the Partners HealthCare contract. "Partners" dedicated and non-dedicated units will periodically be asked to sign onto and off of the "Partners 2" radio channel: a far-reaching simplex frequency owned by Fallon Ambulance to be used by the units handling transports to/from Partners Healthcare facilities (a shared contract).

Atlantic Division

In 2003, Atlantic Ambulance purchased North Shore Ambulance company. Atlantic then had the rights to all of Northshores' contracts. Atlantic uses a white yellow and blue logo and color-scheme on their ambulances. They have their own dispatch and field operations management, however administratively they fall under Cataldo Ambulance. They are referred to as Atlantic Ambulance Service, a division of Cataldo Ambulance. This Division services Lynn, Salem, Marblehead, Saugus, and Peabody

Company history

Cataldo was founded in 1977.


Starting July 1, 2008, Cataldo Ambulance acquired the 911 contract for the City of Melrose. This acquisition came after Melrose ended a 10-year contract with another private ambulance service, Action Ambulance

Action Ambulance

Action Ambulance Service, Inc., based in Wilmington, Massachusetts, provides ambulance services for emergencies and patient transfers. They provide emergency and non-emergency pre-hospital medical care and transportation to ill or injured individuals. Action is currently contracted to serve as the...

. The contract between Cataldo Ambulance and the City of Melrose was signed for three years. Melrose Mayor Rob Dolan said, "Cataldo Ambulance is one of the largest ambulance service providers in the area...The proposal offered the best combination of direct services to the citizens of Melrose and financial benefits to the City of Melrose, as well as countless training opportunities for our public safety employees. The entire package of services offered was superior.” After a formal bid process in September 2010, the City of Melrose signed a three-year agreement with Cataldo Ambulance Service as the City's continued dedicated emergency medical services provider. "Cataldo not only has a strong presence in the city but their emergency response time far exceeds that of the national average. The equipment that is standard to their operations is above what is considered normal standards of care," stated Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan in a press release.


Cataldo's Atlantic Ambulance division also acquired an additional 911 contract in July 2008. The City of Peabody ended a near decade-long contract with Northshore Ambulance by awarding Atlantic Ambulance, a division of Cataldo Ambulance, with the city's EMS coverage. Several months thereafter on December 15, 2008, Atlantic Ambulance, a division of Cataldo Ambulance, officially purchased Northshore Ambulance company, thus acquiring the 911 contracts to the City of Salem, and the Town of Marblehead. Officially, Atlantic's coverage of the Town of Marblehead began on November 21, 2008, and on December 1, 2008, begain providing EMS services to the City of Salem.


In September 2009, Cataldo Ambulance Service officially moved its main operations center from Somerville to Malden into a new state-of-the-art, combined operations and training center. The previous training center was located in Chelsea. The Somerville base is still utilized for administration and ambulance services.


Beginning at the start of 2010, Cataldo Ambulance became the 911 EMS provider for the City of Newton. The Newton EMS operations are part of the Boston Division of Cataldo Ambulance. Former Newton Mayor David Cohen made this announcement several months prior to 2010, ending Newton's contract with American Medical Response

American Medical Response

American Medical Response, Inc. or is an American provider of emergency and non-emergency medical transportation, operating in 38 states and the District of Columbia. It employs around 17,000 personnel and has a fleet of 4,400 vehicles...

 (AMR).

Communications

Cataldo and Atlantic's new VHF system went into effect around the beginning of December 2006. Communication protocols vary with each of Cataldo's contracted municipalities, however most of them rely on direct radio communication between the covering 911 unit and each area's "Fire Alarm" dispatcher. Every ambulance in the fleet has the capability of communicating with all three of Cataldo's dispatch centers (one for each division), including tactical operations channels, fire department dispatch centers for their entire coverage area, Fallon Ambulance channels for Partners HealthCare communications, and C-Med (ambulance-to-hospital) communications for all of the Massachusetts EMS regions.

Community Service and Accolades

Cataldo Ambulance has a long reputation of making charitable donations to the communities that it serves. Be it in the form of tangible gifts or life-saving education, the goal is to ensure the highest quality of medical care and knowledge to all of the residents of their communities. Furthermore, Cataldo Ambulance regularly hosts and participates in fundraising events that benefit non-profit research organizations like the American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...

.

• 1993, annually. Cataldo Ambulance's Swing Fore Hope annual golf tournament to make contributions to the fight against cancer. All proceeds are donated to the American Cancer Societ's Hope Lodge Boston.
• December, 2001, annually. Cataldo Ambulance partners with the Somerville Housing Authority to collect toys for needy children for the winter holiday season. Cataldo participates annually by stationing an ambulance at the local K-Mart to collect the goods.
• March, 2005. Twenty-four Everett school teachers received free CPR/AED training compliments of Cataldo Ambulance after Winter Hill Bank donated two AEDs to Everett Schools.
• November, 2005. Cataldo Ambulance honored 12 EMTs and Paramedics who spent a total of four weeks, deployed in two teams each for two weeks, in disaster areas post-Hurricane Rita in Texas.
• February, 2007, annually. Cataldo aids the American Cancer Society's Daffodil Days campaign. This too has become a routine event in which Cataldo Ambulance and its employees participate.
• May, 2007. Cataldo sponsors mock "mash-up" in collaboration with many Malden officials and the Members of Students Against Destructive Decisions. This has become a routine annual event in several of Cataldo's communities in order to show high-school students the dangers of drunk driving - especially for seniors nearing the prom.
• September, 2007. Cataldo Ambulance partners with Malden Fire and Police Departments in order to equip new command vehicles with OEMS
  Massachusetts Department of Public Health
  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is a governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with various responsibilities related to public health within that state...
  
  -approved first-in EMS bags. They were recognized by the Malden Kiwanis Club.
• February, 2008. Cataldo Ambulance Service donates four defibrillators to Saugus Fire Department
• April, 2008. Cataldo Ambulance Field Supervisor recognized by Everett Chamber as "Paramedic of the Year." Paramedic Supervisor O'Connell was recognized for his significant role as the first EMS responder on scene of a tanker rollover disaster that occurred in Everett in December 2007.
• September, 2008. Atlantic Ambulance donates an AED to St. Mary's High School's (Lynn, MA) Athletic Department.
• November, 2008. Cataldo Ambulance Service donates former field-supervisor vehicle SUV to City of Melrose Fire Department.
• December, 2008. Cataldo Ambulance Only Private Service In State Equipping Vehicles With Priority Traffic Control System (3M Opticom e.g. see Traffic signal preemption
  Traffic signal preemption
  Traffic signal preemption is a type of system that allows the normal operation of traffic lights to be preempted, often to assist emergency vehicles...
  
  ).
• February, 2009. Atlantic Ambulance Service donates four AEDs over four years to City of Peabody and to St. John's Baptist School.
• October, 2009. Cataldo donates a used ambulance to the City of Somerville for conversion into a PD Incident Command Vehicle.
• December, 2009. Cataldo Ambulance Service's Vice President, Dennis Cataldo, receives the "Region IV EMS Leader Award" from the Metropolitan Boston Emergency Medical Services Council (MBEMSC).
• January, 2010. Atlantic Ambulance staffs a Peabody clinic providing H1N1 vaccines.
• May, 2010. Cataldo Ambulance Golf Tournament Raises $28,000 for American Cancer Society.

Somerville Division

The Somerville Division services the cities and towns of, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Melrose, Revere, Somerville, and Saugus with dedicated 911 ALS units 24 hours-a-day. Each municipality has a dedicated Cataldo EMS ALS unit and backup coverage is provided by additional non-dedicated ALS and BLS units positioned at bases throughout the coverage area. The primary 911 trucks are as follows:

Unit #	City
Paramedic 1	Chelsea, City of
Paramedic 2	Everett, City of
Paramedic 3	Malden, City of
Paramedic 4	Melrose, City of
Paramedic 5	Revere, City of
Paramedic 6	Somerville, City of
Paramedic 8	Saugus, Town of

*Paramedic 8 operates under the Atlantic Ambulance operations center

Boston Division

Dedicated Cataldo EMS (Boston Division) units for the City of Newton, additional ALS/BLS used as backup when needed (as of 12/28/09)

Unit #	City
Medic 1	Newton, City of
Medic 2	Newton, City of
Ambulance 1	Newton, City of
Ambulance 2	Newton, City of

Atlantic Ambulance Division

Dedicated Atlantic EMS units for the City of Lynn, City of Peabody, City of Salem, Town of Marblehead, with additional non-dedicated ALS and BLS used as backup when needed

Unit #	City
Medic 7	Lynn, City of
Ambulance 14	Lynn, City of
Ambulance 13	Lynn, City of
Ambulance 12	Lynn, City of
Ambulance 11	Lynn, City of
Medic 1	Peabody, City of
Medic 2	Peabody, City of
Medic 3	Peabody, City of
Ambulance 15	Peabody, City of
Medic 5	Salem, City of
Ambulance 16	Salem, City of
Medic 4	Marblehead, Town of

Field Supervisors

Cataldo and Atlantic Field Supervisors utilize non-transporting ALS vehicles. There is at least one on-duty supervisor, 24-hours-a-day, responsible for all three operational divisions spanning the entire coverage area. In the field, they provide ALS intercepts and interventions, and general field support to road crews as needed. Generally a field supervisor will respond with the ambulance to large-scale or serious incidents that may require an EMS command be established. Examples of such incidents include: rollover motor vehicle collisions (MVCs), fire scenes, community EMS details, and mass-casualty incidents (MCIs).