Milton 911 provider Fallon Ambulance Service celebrates 90th anniversary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Colleen Rielly, Fallon Ambulance, crielly@fallonambulance.com, (617) 745-2116

Jim Farrell, PR First, 781-681-6616, jfarrell@prfirst .com

Fallon Ambulance Service marks 90th anniversary; honors longtime employees and hosts city, state officials at Milton restaurant that is former headquarters

QUINCY and MILTON, MA, ISSUED SEPTEMBER 25, 2013…For Fallon Ambulance Service, their official 90th anniversary celebration offers an interesting blend of the present, future and the past.

The third-generation, family-owned private ambulance firm has selected the Milton restaurant, Steel ‘n Rye, located at 95 Eliot Street, for its October 1 celebration. For many years, before its conversion to a restaurant, 95 Eliot Street served as the headquarters for Fallon Ambulance.

At the celebration, 31 longtime Fallon employees will be recognized for their years of service to the company and to the region.

“Many of us who have been part of the Fallon Ambulance Service family for many years well remember working at 95 Eliot Street and it will be a great homecoming – a chance to reflect on where our company has gone, and to see our old home in a new light,” said Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President at Fallon Ambulance.

Racicot, a Weymouth resident with 28 years experience at Fallon Ambulance, is one of the members of the team with longevity.

Others who will be recognized include Christopher Grazioso, Abington, 24 years; William Doherty and Stephen Leroux, both of Attleboro, 21 years each;  John Donovan and John Vella, both of Braintree, and both with 20 years of service; Lynn Mahoney of Bristol, RI, 21 years; Edgar Honrado of Brockton, 21 years; William Cronin of Burlington, 20 years; George Doucette of East Bridgewater, 20 years; Michael Decosta of Easton, 26 years; Kenneth Meehan of Gardner, 22 years; Susan McGrath of Hanover, 23 years; John Rzasa of Hanson, 48 years; Jeannemarie Bacon of Holbrook, 21 years; David Larrobino of Londonderry, NH, 25 years; Christopher O’Malley of Mansfield, 21 years; Tim Fallon of Milton, 32 years; Theodore Carroll of Milton, 27 years; James Clifford of Pembroke, 24 years; Scott Souther of Plymouth, 26 years; Jonathan Rzasa of Plymouth, 23 years; Bobbie Arico of Quincy, 29 years; Theresa McQuade of Quincy, 24 years; Edward Murphy III of Randolph, 20 years; Michael Pulit of Scituate, 22 years; Paul Coakley of Taunton, 30 years; David Hicks of Weymouth, 30 years;  Normand Racicot of Weymouth, 26 years; and Charles Ward of Weymouth, 25 years.

Additionally, a number of area officials will be on hand to celebrate the company’s 90 years of service, including Weymouth Mayor Sue Kay; State Representatives Bruce Ayers, Tackey Chan; Brian Dempsey; Ronald Mariano. Additionally, State Senators Kenneth Donnelly and John Keenan are expected to attend, as is Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan, and a number of area town selectmen and local officials.

Fallon Ambulance continues to maintain strong ties with the Town of Milton, and is that municipality’s 9-1-1 EMS provider. From Fallon’s headquarters in Quincy, it provides 9-1-1 service to Quincy, Milton, Braintree, Weymouth, Brookline and Dedham.

The Early Days

Fallon Ambulance's history dates to 1923, when current CEO Timothy Fallon's grandfather, James R. Fallon Sr., started his limousine and ambulance service. For the first six decades, the company focused more on limousine service; it wasn’t until the 1980s that the company’s focus switched primarily to ambulance transportation. Tim’s father and James R. Fallon’s son, Ray Fallon, was at the helm of the business until his death in 2002.

Initially, most of the ambulance business was transferring patients from hospitals to nursing homes, and providing wheelchair van service. That changed in 1991 when the company was awarded a 9-1-1 contract with the town of Milton. Today, 9-1-1 service is a major part of their business, and Fallon Ambulance has municipal contracts with Milton, Quincy, Brookline, Braintree, Weymouth and Dedham, and also provides primary backup service to Boston, Randolph, Hull and Norwell, as well as medical transportation for nursing homes, hospitals and HMO's, throughout the greater Boston area. Employing around 600 people, Fallon receives roughly 1,000 calls a day, and dispatches its 250 vehicles to meet them.

In the late 1990s, several of their independent competitors were bought by much larger companies. With consolidation a part of the landscape, the Fallon family plotted a different strategy. “Ray always believed that the way our company would grow was to be responsive, responsible and compassionate, a philosophy that has enabled us to survive in the face of new competition, and to grow,” said Peter Racicot.

In February 2005, the company moved from Milton to new headquarters in Quincy. The move gave the company badly needed space for offices, an ambulance garage and customer parking.  The Quincy location at 111 Brook Road in Quincy, formerly the location of New England Steel Tank, is an important step, and not just for Fallon Ambulance. It contributes to the revitalization of an area which had been under-utilized for many years. The company leased the land and the existing structure for two years, during which time they spent almost $4 million to refurbish it. Today, just as Steel ‘n Rye bears no resemblance to the Fallon headquarters it once was, Fallon’s new home – an elegant steel and glass structure with 43,000 square feet of space – bears no resemblance to the New England Steel Tank structure it once was. Fallon’s headquarters consists of 43,000 square feet of space, including 30,000 square feet of garage space for the fleet of ambulances. The remaining 13,000 square feet on the second floor is office space.

Today, the third generation of the Fallon family is at the helm, with Tim as CEO and step-brothers Peter and Normand Racicot each sharing key roles in the company. Being at the helm of a growing family-owned business isn't always easy. But it has definitely worked for this family and this company.

“One of our employees, John Rzasa, has been at Fallon for more than half the company’s entire history,” said Racicot, adding, “When he entered the field, the only training required was a First Aid Card, which he had earned through his affiliation with the Boy Scouts. That, of course, has changed significantly and EMT and Paramedic training is very involved today.”  Rzasa – as is the case with other longtime employees – all have stories to tell about their experiences.  Over the years, Rzasa’s work has included transporting patients to New York City, Washington DC and Canada. He transported Mrs. Sunny Von Bulow from Brigham & Women’s Hospital to New York City where the entire hospital floor was waiting for her. He has also served on call for former President George Bush when he served as Vice President and visited the New England area. And, in 1965 Rzasa was on call for Queen Elizabeth for her trip to Boston via the Britannia, docked next to the Constitution. He has worked for three generations of Fallon Ambulance leaders: James R. Fallon Sr., Ray Fallon and then Tim Fallon.

Tim Fallon, CEO,  noted, “In a society where most people statistically work for seven different employers during their careers, we are very fortunate to have more than 30 employees with more than two decades’ experience with us. As a family business, we appreciate the loyalty and dedication of our team and look forward to celebrating this important milestone with our Fallon Ambulance family.”

About Fallon Ambulance

Fallon Ambulance Service was founded in 1923 by James R. Fallon, Sr. Mr. Fallon’s son, James R. (Ray) Fallon, Jr., served as President and owner from 1974 until 2000. Today, Timothy J. Fallon, grandson to the founder, serves as President and CEO.  Tim’s sister Kathleen Mackie, step brothers, Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President and Normand Racicot, Vice President, also represent the third generation of this family business. And a fourth generation represented by 7 great grandchildren of the founder is working in various capacities in the organization. Fallon Ambulance is the largest privately owned and operated ambulance service in the Northeast. Fallon Ambulance employs more than 600 personnel, operates more than 150 vehicles and responds to over 160,000 emergency and non-emergency calls per year.  Fallon Ambulance is the 9-1-1 provider for the municipalities of Milton, Quincy, Brookline, Weymouth, Braintree and Dedham and provides primary backup to Boston and Randolph. Fallon Ambulance Service additionally provides medical transportation for a number of area medical facilities including nursing homes, hospitals, and HMO’s throughout Greater Boston, the South Shore and Metro West region. It is headquartered at 111-115 Brook Road, Quincy, MA and operates satellite offices throughout its coverage area. Fallon Ambulance Service has been recognized many times by various business and community organizations for its exceptional service.  For additional information about Fallon Ambulance Services or programs that the company offers, contact Peter Racicot, Senior Vice President, at (617) 745-2117 or visit www.fallonambulance.com.