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GLENDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT DONATES AMBULANCE TO ARMENIA'S MINISTRY OF HEALTH
Glendale News Press, CA
April 3 2015
Fire Department donation will help move remote patients to hospitals.
By Alene Tchekmedyian, [email protected]
April 3, 2015 | 11:00 a.m.
The Glendale Fire Department on Thursday donated an ambulance to
Ministry of Health in Armenia to help first responders there transport
patients to city hospitals from remote villages, including Glendale's
Sister City, Ghapan.
Glendale officials received a request for an ambulance in December from
the Ministry of Health, said Councilman Ara Najarian. The Glendale
Fire Department has six active ambulances, and an additional six
on reserve to use in the event of a disaster or when the others are
being serviced.
Glendale replaces one ambulance every year, leaving the department
with one surplus ambulance available to donate annually.
Shortly after the request was made, the Glendale City Council approved
the donation of the Ford ambulance, which in the last 12 years has
logged 130,000 miles and responded to thousands of emergencies in
Glendale, officials said.
"Hopefully, this will continue to save lives -- that's the goal,"
said Glendale Fire Chief Greg Fish. "We're so glad we can offer
the ambulance to a country that needs it so badly, like Armenia,
especially our Sister City."
Some Armenian villages are so remote that first responders face great
difficulties transporting critical patients to Yerevan, the country's
capital, Najarian said.
"They have really bad equipment," Najarian said, adding that Glendale
officials put the city's ambulance, which comes with a gurney, in
"tip-top" shape before transferring its ownership.
The truck was slated to be shipped out on Thursday with the help of
the Glendale-based aid organization, Medical Outreach for Armenians.
The councilman's father, Dr. Vartkes Najarian, who serves as the
chairman of the aid organization, signed the paperwork to transfer
ownership at the Glendale Fire headquarters on Thursday.
"They may have to take it to different villages depending on the need,"
Vartkes Najarian said.
It wasn't official for the junior Najarian, however, until he poured
four glasses of Armenian cognac -- one each for himself, his father,
Mayor Zareh Sinanyan and Fish -- and made a toast.
"Is this an Armenian tradition?" said Fish, who declined the drink.
"Yes," Ara Najarian said, followed by a brief toast ending with,
"Genatz," which means "cheers" in Armenian.
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-a-glendale-fire-department-donates-ambulance-to-armenias-ministry-of-health-20150402,0,1193848.story
Glendale News Press, CA
April 3 2015
Fire Department donation will help move remote patients to hospitals.
By Alene Tchekmedyian, [email protected]
April 3, 2015 | 11:00 a.m.
The Glendale Fire Department on Thursday donated an ambulance to
Ministry of Health in Armenia to help first responders there transport
patients to city hospitals from remote villages, including Glendale's
Sister City, Ghapan.
Glendale officials received a request for an ambulance in December from
the Ministry of Health, said Councilman Ara Najarian. The Glendale
Fire Department has six active ambulances, and an additional six
on reserve to use in the event of a disaster or when the others are
being serviced.
Glendale replaces one ambulance every year, leaving the department
with one surplus ambulance available to donate annually.
Shortly after the request was made, the Glendale City Council approved
the donation of the Ford ambulance, which in the last 12 years has
logged 130,000 miles and responded to thousands of emergencies in
Glendale, officials said.
"Hopefully, this will continue to save lives -- that's the goal,"
said Glendale Fire Chief Greg Fish. "We're so glad we can offer
the ambulance to a country that needs it so badly, like Armenia,
especially our Sister City."
Some Armenian villages are so remote that first responders face great
difficulties transporting critical patients to Yerevan, the country's
capital, Najarian said.
"They have really bad equipment," Najarian said, adding that Glendale
officials put the city's ambulance, which comes with a gurney, in
"tip-top" shape before transferring its ownership.
The truck was slated to be shipped out on Thursday with the help of
the Glendale-based aid organization, Medical Outreach for Armenians.
The councilman's father, Dr. Vartkes Najarian, who serves as the
chairman of the aid organization, signed the paperwork to transfer
ownership at the Glendale Fire headquarters on Thursday.
"They may have to take it to different villages depending on the need,"
Vartkes Najarian said.
It wasn't official for the junior Najarian, however, until he poured
four glasses of Armenian cognac -- one each for himself, his father,
Mayor Zareh Sinanyan and Fish -- and made a toast.
"Is this an Armenian tradition?" said Fish, who declined the drink.
"Yes," Ara Najarian said, followed by a brief toast ending with,
"Genatz," which means "cheers" in Armenian.
http://www.glendalenewspress.com/news/tn-gnp-a-glendale-fire-department-donates-ambulance-to-armenias-ministry-of-health-20150402,0,1193848.story