Milford Rescue using Jaws to free trapped driver from two car crash on Route 140, photo courtesy of Milford PD
Andrea Matellian, a sophomore at Blackstone Valley Tech, is working with the Upton Fire/EMS Department on a community service project to help raise funds to purchase new “Jaws of Life” for Upton. Andrea is hoping Upton households will donate $1 for each member to go towards the purchase of new hydraulic tools “Jaws of Life.”
Andrea chose to support the Upton Fire/EMS department as part of her Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy community service project. At first Andrea said she was thinking of just doing something small, “Then I found out the town is fundraising for new Jaws of Life and decided raising funds to help purchase new equipment was what I wanted to do as my project.” Andrea composed a donation request letter with Chief Goodale, gathered some friends and stuffed and stamped 2,700 envelopes. The letters will be mailed on May 1.
Chief Goodale said the hydraulic tools the department has now are over 25 years old. “Like with everything else, technology has changed. Automobile manufacturers have redesigned cars which are much tougher. Our tools are no longer effectively doing the job they were designed to do, it takes several more cuts or attempts. The tools available now are double the strength of what the department has and are better suited to the stronger vehicles,” said Chief Goodale.
Andrea is hoping to raise $10,000 to go towards the replacement cost of $35,000 with this fundraising drive.
“We are very pleased to have Andrea helping us with this effort.”, said Fire/EMS Chief Goodale. “This a great project she has undertaken to benefit the Association’s efforts to raise money to replace our hydraulic extrication tools. She has done a great job organizing and working with our Fire and EMS Association. Ironically, as we are working on her fund-raising effort, her dad was involved in a very serious crash on Rt 140 in Milford where the Jaws were used to extricate an occupant in one of the cars involved.”
Andrea said, “I learned that Jaws of Life really save lives. I didn’t know a loved one of mine would be in a bad accident when I started this project. It’s great to know that a small donation can save someone’s life and help the community.”
UPTON DAILY 