Seven Turtles Take Ambulance Ride From NE Aquarium With Fallon-Donated Ambulance

Seven stranded sea turtles began the first step on their journey toward rehabilitation and release into the open ocean with an ambulance ride, in a vehicle donated to New England Aquarium from Fallon Ambulance, a 65-year old, family owned business.

The sea turtles have been under the care of New England Aquarium since they stranded on the shores of Cape Cod. Six of these turtles stranded in the fall of 2000 and are headed for further treatment and assessment at a facility in Florida. The seventh was among the hundreds that washed ashore in the fall of 1999 and will be released into the ocean shortly.

The animals were transported from New England Aquarium to Norwood Airport on Friday, March 23. The Eastern Air Charter flew two loggerhead turtles and five Kemp's ridley turtles to Tampa/St. Petersburg Airport in Florida, where the turtles were transported to two facilities for further evaluation and treatment. The Cape Cod based International Fund for Animal Welfare funded the $11,000 flight.

The ambulance used to transport the turtles was donated by Fallon Ambulance, the region's largest independently owned ambulance facility. The vehicles carry a value of $67,000 fully equipped; a bare bones or "stripped" vehicle is worth approximately $32,000.

Fallon Ambulance, which operates more than 100 vehicles, occasionally donated an ambulance about to be "retired" for community use. Their ambulances have been donated to a number of causes, including ten that have been shipped to the country of Poland.

Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President of Business Development, said that the New England Aquarium donation seemed like an excellent "fit." "We have watched the great work that the Aquarium does," he said, and added, "What a great use for Poland operates on a regional basis for ambulances," said Walter Jarnot of Friends of Poland. "One ambulance might cover an area of 60-70 miles. In the rural areas of the country the need is especially high."

He noted that the ambulances are needed for medical emergencies as well as transporting organs.

"The people of Fallon are tremendous, not only do they give us the ambulances but they are great at giving us additional equipment for the ambulances that are scarce in Poland."

All ambulances are completely refurbished by volunteers with a new paint job and any mechanical repairs needed. The ambulances are then shipped to Poland by boat, at a cost of approximately $2000. The organization looks for sponsors at $3,000 to cover the cost of transportation and refurbishing the ambulances, which are then sent in memory of loved ones.

"We are glad to help the people of Poland," said Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Fallon. "It is wonderful to see these retired ambulances put to such good use, where they are needed. Poland is an area of the world that needs and deserves medical contributions, and the efforts of Friends of Poland are admirable."

Contributions to the ambulance fund may be sent to: Friends of Poland, Inc., P.O. Box 50277, New Bedford, MA 02745.

Fallon Ambulance Service was founded in 1936 by James R. Fallon, Sr., and has remained a family operated business to this day. The founder’s son, James R. (Ray) Fallon, Jr., and five of his children have all played an integral role in the company’s operation and growth. Fallon Ambulance employs more than 400 personnel, and operates 115 vehicles. The company provides 9-1-1 service to Milton, Quincy, Brookline, Weymouth, Braintree and Dedham as well as primary backup to Boston and Randolph. Fallon Ambulance Service also provides medical transportation for a number of nursing homes, hospitals, and HMOs throughout Greater Boston. Headquarters are at 111 Brook Road, Quincy, MA 02169, and Fallon Ambulance operates satellite offices in Weymouth, Allston and Quincy, MA. A new state-of-the-art headquarters is slated for opening in Quincy in the Fall, 2004. Fallon Ambulance Service is a several-time recipient of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce’s “Success Profile,” and the “local heroes” award by the South Shore Community Action Council. For additional information about Fallon Ambulance services or programs that the company offers, contact Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President of Business Development, at (617) 745-2100, ext. 117 or visit www.fallonambulance.com.