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handling the situations. You can receive a lot of self
satisfaction.”
Griffith, who has been with the unit for three-and-a
half years explained that while the satisfaction is high,
there are many hard moments and many “ups and
downs.” He said the work is particularly difficult when
they find themselves worldng with many pediatric
patients. When a child is lost it is very hard to accept,
hesaid. But there are also times, he said, “when you
save a lot" and this offers its rewards.
Training to work on the mobile unit involves three
phases. First, a trainee must complete Emergency
Medical Training, an 81-hour course prescribed by the
state of Pennsylvania. There is also formal, in-house
training, involving 215 hours of coronary care, learning
how to deal with trauma, working with
anesthesiologists and other areas with which a medic
will be confronted while working with the unit. The
third phase entails assignment to the crew of the
mobile unit to actually get involved witti patients.
Griffith said he feels that Lancaster countians now.
receive the “finest emergency'medical seryis.e_.in
Lancaster Farming. Saturday, Oct 23.1976
Pennsylvania." The mobile unit is primarily
responsible, of course, but with acceptance of the
mobile unit there have been a lot of programs for local
volunteer ambulance workers. The cooperative effort
pays off, Griffith says.
He acknowledged that fire company and local am
bulance organizations felt threatened at first by the
mobile unit. He said, “It has taken a let of talking to
prove it works, but now they know_we are interested in
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