Southcoast Health’s 2025 EMS Support Grant Program Awards Funds to Seven Municipal EMS Organizations Across the Region

Earlier this week, representatives from seven municipal emergency medical services (EMS) organizations gathered at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford to be recognized as the first grant recipients from Southcoast Health’s EMS Support Grant Program.

The EMS Support Grant Program was first launched this May during National EMS Week with the goal of supporting organizations that provide direct patient care in the South Coast region.

“As a not-for-profit community health system, we are committed to reaching beyond our walls to support municipal organizations across the region. With this program we are honored to be able to assist in the essential work they do every day,” said David O. McCready, President and CEO of Southcoast Health. “At Southcoast Health we see first-hand the exceptional services these EMS professionals provide our patients. We look forward to continuing to work together with all of our colleagues in EMS to improve the health and wellness of our region overall.”

In its initial year, the program was fully funded through Southcoast Health and awarded approximately $100,000 in total, across seven municipal tax-exempt EMS organizations in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Grant recipients include:

• Dighton Fire Department
• Freetown Fire Department
• Lakeville Fire Department
• Middletown Fire Department
• Rochester Fire Department
• Tiverton Fire Department
• Town of Wareham EMS

All the proposals underwent a comprehensive review and selection process, and the awarded funds will be used for training and medical equipment to support the organizations’ abilities to provide critical pre-hospital care for the communities they serve.

“We are delighted to be able to offer this support and recognize that these critical teams, and many others across the region, sometimes require additional resources to enhance the advanced care they provide. We hope this opportunity makes a positive difference. We greatly appreciate the unwavering support of all our EMS partners in caring for the South Coast region,” said Renee Clark, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at Southcoast Health.  

From our EMS Partners:

Dighton Fire Department:

“With the funds generously donated by Southcoast Health, we will be able to purchase a modern ALS Training Mannequin to aid in keeping our EMS Professionals proficient in their skills.”

– Fire Chief Christopher J. Maguy, EMD, Dighton Fire Department

Freetown Fire Department:

“This generous grant was made possible through Southcoast Health’s ongoing commitment to supporting local EMS agencies in strengthening pre-hospital care. The funding will be used to purchase vital EMS training equipment, allowing us to enhance the skills and readiness of our emergency medical providers.

The proximity of Southcoast’s hospitals has had a direct and positive impact on Freetown residents. As Southcoast’s healthcare system grows and advances, so too has the collaboration between our organizations. We extend our sincere thanks to the leadership at Southcoast Health for their continued support and partnership.”

– Fire Chief Harrie Ashley, Freetown Fire Department

Lakeville Fire Department:

“The Southcoast EMS Support Grant provides a vital opportunity to secure mission-critical resources in a tight economic environment. The motorized stair chair will deliver significant value – both today and for years to come. The Lakeville Fire Department is incredibly grateful to the Southcoast community for their advocacy!”

– Fire Chief Michael O’Brien, Lakeville Fire Department

Rochester Fire Department:

“We are incredibly grateful to Southcoast Health for their generous grant, which will significantly enhance our training capabilities both in house and in the community. Our longstanding partnership with Southcoast Health has always been rooted in a shared commitment to community health and safety. This most recent investment in high-fidelity training mannequins, CPR mannequins and AED trainers will enable our EMTs and paramedics to be better prepared for real-world emergencies and expand our outreach efforts to our community. Together, we are strengthening our ability to deliver the highest standard of quality care and equipping our community with the knowledge and tools to save lives.”

– Fire Chief Scott Weigel, Rochester Fire Department

Town of Wareham: 

“On behalf of myself and the membership of Wareham EMS, I would like to extend our deepest thank you for the Southcoast Health Grant. We plan to support the purchase and equipping of three ambulances with brand new state-of-the-art Heine visionPro video laryngoscopes. The funding will fully support the purchase, equipping and training in this new technology that will undoubtedly save lives. By giving our providers another tool, we will be better equipped to handle the most critical of patients. We appreciate the unwavering support and partnership between Wareham EMS and Southcoast Health and look forward to continuing the partnership into the future.”

– Brad Allen, Wareham EMS Director, Town of Wareham

Middletown Fire Department: 

“On behalf of the Middletown Fire Department, we are honored to formally accept the grant awarded to us by Southcoast Health. These funds will directly support the advancement of our ambulances to the Paramedic level, aligning our operations with national standards and reinforcing our commitment to providing the highest level of care. This initiative will not only benefit the residents, businesses, and visitors of Middletown but will also enhance the care provided to patients within the broader Southcoast Health community. We extend our sincere gratitude to all involved in this decision and commend Southcoast Health for its continued dedication to improving prehospital care in the communities it serves.”

– Brian DeFreitas, Battalion Chief, Middletown Fire Department

Tiverton Fire Department: 

“We’re incredibly grateful to Southcoast Health for their support in helping us purchase new video laryngoscopes. These devices will significantly enhance our ability to manage critical airways during high-acuity calls, while also allowing us to review and improve our performance through post-care video analysis. We’re always striving to deliver the highest standard of care to our patients, and we look forward to our continued collaboration with Southcoast Health in that endeavor.”

– Captain Christopher Wells, Tiverton Fire Department