Meeks Bay, Lake Tahoe, CA… Effective January 16, 2017, Meeks Bay Fire Protection District’s Station 61, has been designated as an Advanced Life Support (ALS) Station. The Station was previously staffed to provide Basic Life Support (BLS).

Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting, MBF cut gauze to celebrate the ALS upgrade to Engine 61. Left to Right: Meeks Bay Fire (MBF) Office Manager, Shawn Crawford; MBF Board Vice President, Nick Kromydas; North Tahoe Fire (NTF) Chief Michael Schwartz; MBF Board President Ed Miller; MBF and NTF Firefighter/Paramedic Erik Gustafson; MBF Director Steve Hyde; MBF Board Director Bruce Massie and MBF and NTF Captain Gary Nelson.

Station 61 will be staffed with a minimum of one Captain and one Paramedic. Primary response from the station will continue to be E-61, with additional response from the closest Medic unit. The ALS units at Meeks Bay Fire Protection District work as part of comprehensive plan to provide ALS services to the west and north shore of Lake Tahoe.

Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting, MBF cut a ceremonial strip of gauze to celebrate the ALS upgrade to Engine 61. Moments after following the celebration, a vehicle accident occurred directly in front of the Meeks Bay Fire Station. One of the two victims was extricated from the vehicle using the “Jaws of Life.”

“While this is not how I had hoped the ALS Engine program would be initiated in Meeks Bay, I was grateful that we had the paramedic equipment, medications and personnel to their benefit” said NTF Fire Chief Schwartz “The on-duty crew Captain Gary Nelson and Paramedic Erik Gustafson performed to the highest standards.”

California State parks also responded quickly and assisted with both traffic control and patient care. Battalion Chief Smith arrived, assumed Command and assigned the two Medic units to patient care. The collision is still under the investigative authority of the California Highway Patrol.