Hanceville Fire Department achieves ALS certification

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Hanceville Mayor Pro Tem Jimmy Sawyer, Councilman Jimmie Nuss, Mayor Kenneth Nail, Assistant Fire Chief Bart Absher and Councilman John Stam (Amy Leonard for The Cullman Tribune)

HANCEVILLE, Ala. – The Hanceville Fire Department recently earned Advanced Life Support certification from the Office of Emergency Medical Services at the Alabama Department of Public Health. The certification allows department members to perform the same life-saving measures as paramedics. Residents in medical distress will no longer have to wait for an ambulance to arrive before advanced life support begins.  

“We appreciate the council for what they’ve done over a lot of years approving budgets and things that have brought us to this point,” shared Hanceville Assistant Fire Chief Bart Absher. “This has been about five to six years in the works. We are now able to supply the exact same care as the ambulance services. We just don’t transport. For anybody in our service area, we can go ahead and start IVs, start doing advanced airways, treat pain and cardiac cases. We can get that started before the ambulance even arrives. We already have the supplies and have had several calls where we’ve already used them. It’s a privilege to be able to do this for Hanceville.” 

The department was busy last month with two live fire extinguisher classes for Wallace State Community College students and three days at the school’s Let’s Pretend Hospital, where members met over 1,000 students. Additionally, the HFD fielded a total of 100 calls with 10 lift assists, nine motor vehicle accidents and 75 medical calls with 48 patients requiring additional medical care. The department has handled 1,312 calls so far this year. 

Hanceville seniors are encouraged to join the council at the Senior Christmas Luncheon Thursday, Dec. 22, at the Hanceville Civic Center. The doors will open at 10:30 a.m. and lunch will be served at 11:30. Only 100 of 225 available seats have been reserved so far. Reservations can be made by calling Hanceville City Hall at 256-352-9830. Chicken and dressing, collard greens, potatoes and more are on the menu. 

The council set a public hearing for the new Dollar General located on Arkadelphia Road, after considering the recommendations of the Alcohol Review Committee. The hearing will be held Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m. The council voted to allow the city’s participation in the Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Feb. 24-26, 2023. 

The Hanceville Planning Commission’s recommendations for Tiny House Neighborhood stipulations were passed on to City Attorney Dan Willingham to review. Willingham will provide the council with his recommendations at a later date. The City will surplus three side-by-side four wheelers. 

Hanceville City Hall will be closed Dec. 23 and 26 for the Christmas holiday. The next council meeting will be held Dec. 22, with a work session at 5 p.m. and meeting at 5:30. 

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