John Rzasa Celebrates His 35th Year of Service With Fallon Ambulance

John Rzasa is celebrating his 35th year of service with the company. His only plans to leave will be upon his retirement in 2010 and the Fallon family, gratefully, would not have it any other way.

Armed with a First Aid Card from the Boy Scouts, John was hired by the company founder, Ray Fallon Sr., on December 7, 1965, as a first aid provider. In those days the company had six ambulances, three in Dorchester and three in Cambridge, and a half-dozen employees. Today, Fallon Ambulance employs 425 staff and has a fleet of over 100 ambulances with trained paramedics and EMTs.

Times have changed for the ambulance industry and John has been there every step of the way. In the early years, he remembers that clients used to tip for ambulance transports; a $2 tip was common for transports to Deaconess Hospital. While the company didn't encourage employees to take tips, John says that clients were offended if a tip was refused.

Over the years, John traveled the highways for out-of-state medical transports, often to New York City to bring patients with head traumas back to Boston for treatment. Other medical transports included trips to Washington, DC, and Quebec, Canada.

When former President George Bush was vice president, he visited the area, and John was assigned to the motorcade with the Secret Service. He also stood by throughout the night in case medical assistance was necessary. In 1965, Queen Elizabeth came to Boston aboard her yacht, the Britannia, which was docked next to the Constitution in Boston Harbor. John was assigned to the Queen and fortunately was not needed. He has also driven ambulances for a documentary aired by the British Broadcasting Corporation and for a movie in which he drove around the rotary in South Boston with lights flashing a dozen times until filming was complete.

"I've had a wonderful time with the best company you could ever work for," said John. "Mr. Fallon, the founder, was a great guy, and his son, Ray, who recently retired as CEO, is a true gentleman and wonderful person. Either of them would give you the shirt off their back. In fact, the whole family is inspiring, always doing for others."

Working for the Fallon family business has been such a great experience that John's son has followed in his footsteps and started his career with Fallon Ambulance.

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.