The Ambulance Corps Honors One Of Its Own

By Steve Bigham

The Newtown Ambulance Corps is full of people who deserve special recognition for their dedicated service to the community. But one member, 52-year-old Tom Hanlon, stands above the rest, according to his peers.

For his efforts, Mr Hanlon has been named the corps’ first-ever “outstanding member of the year,” an honor bestowed upon him by his fellow corps members – the men and women who see firsthand what Tom’s dedication has meant to the people of Newtown.

 Known for his kind heart, big smile, and sense of humor, the lifelong Newtown resident is considered a breath of fresh air in a job that often calls for some much-needed stress relief.

Despite working full time as a union carpenter in lower Fairfield County, Mr Hanlon is among the corps’ leaders in responses this year. You can often find him at the ambulance garage at night and on weekends. He offers skilled patient care, is a careful and thoughtful driver, and does maintenance work inside and outside the garage. He even vacuums and plants flowers, according to nominating committee members Karin Halstead, Nancy McLaughlin, and Liz Cain.

Mr Hanlon is also known for making a great cup of tea, which can come in handy after a busy night on the road. In addition, he often brings along his fiancée, Mary Farly, to emergency calls. Although she is not an EMT, she helps out by driving the medic truck back to Danbury.

“He’s just a good guy to have around,” noted Karin Halstead. “He always has a smile on his face and is willing to help people.”

Corps Chief Kristin Peterson said Tom always manages to help lighten the mood.

“He is very compassionate and he ties in his humor to lighten the uncomfortableness that patients sometimes feel. He can immediately put people at ease,” she said.

Tom Hanlon joined Newtown Ambulance 10 years ago after the idea sat in the back of his mind for many years. He has been going strong ever since, doing his part to provide the best patient care that he can. Mr Hanlon usually responds to calls from his house during the week and mans the ambulance garage on Saturday mornings. And as he can attest, responding to scenes of pain and despair is no picnic, but it is the satisfaction he gets from helping others that keeps him going.

“It’s like a job, but it’s not a job. Sometimes there would not be enough pay to do what we do,” Mr Hanlon said. “I get great satisfaction out of helping others. The day I don’t is the day I quit.”

  His philosophy: “You’ve just got to deal with each thing as it comes along because you can’t go out with a mindset on certain things. You can’t prepare because you don’t know exactly what you’re going to find when you arrive. You try not to absorb all the bad things. You deal with it, let it go and move on. If you don’t, you won’t be in this business for very long.”

Mr Hanlon said the town’s steady growth in recent years has created an even bigger challenge for the Newtown Ambulance Corps. The population has reached 25,000 people and traffic continues to increase. These factors have played a role in the corps’ record-breaking number of responses this year. However, there are others, as well. For example, Newtown Ambulance recently took over coverage of Ashlar of Newtown, Cornerstone of Eagle Hill, Garner Correctional Institution, and Fairfield Hills.

“Most people probably don’t realize we have a volunteer ambulance service here,” he said.

In accepting the award, Mr Hanlon thanked his fiancée.

“She’s the reason I get to do so much because she allows me to do it. She likes it too,” he said.