Life-Saving Training on Block Island: ACLS Academy Empowers Fire & Rescue Volunteers
A Remote Island, A Dedicated Team, and the Power of Training
Nestled 12 miles off the Rhode Island coast, Block Island is a picturesque haven known for its dramatic cliffs, rolling green hills, and pristine beaches. The island, just under 10 square miles in size, is home to around 1,000 year-round residents—a number that swells dramatically in the summer as thousands of tourists arrive by ferry, planes, and recreational boats. While the island's charm lies in its seclusion, this isolation also presents significant challenges, particularly when it comes to emergency response.
Block Island’s safety depends on the dedication of its Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department, a team operation composed of trained locals who answer the call whenever medical emergencies, fires, or rescues arise. Unlike mainland fire departments with access to numerous hospitals and reinforcements, Block Island's emergency teams must be exceptionally self-reliant.
Recently, ACLS Academy had the privilege of providing advanced CPR and AED training to five of Block Island’s Fire & Rescue volunteers, to become instructors with the goal of passing their knowledge and expertise onto island residents and visitors by teaching them how to save a life.
The Unique Challenges of Emergency Response on Block Island
Living on an island comes with its fair share of logistical challenges, and emergency response is no exception. Unlike in major cities where hospitals and emergency services are only minutes away, Block Island’s Fire & Rescue Department must often be the first and only line of defense for an extended period.
Limited Access to Medical Facilities: The island has a small medical center, but critical patients must often be transported via medevac to Rhode Island, Connecticut, or Massachusetts hospitals. Severe weather further complicates the situation, when high winds, fog or rough seas can delay transport via ferry and helicopter, making on-the-spot lifesaving measures essential.
Volunteer-Driven Response: The Fire and Rescue Departments were established in 1925 and 1950, respectively. Unlike fully staffed urban fire departments, Block Island’s emergency teams are made up of community volunteers who juggle emergency response with their full-time jobs. Recruiting, retaining, and training department volunteers is also a challenge. The department is composed of year-round and seasonal volunteers, but many members of the current force are aging out, and ensuring adequate staffing coverage and sufficient training can be difficult.
Large-Scale Emergencies: The importance of emergency training for Block Island was highlighted in August 2023 when a devastating fire tore through the historic Harborside Inn, a large hotel fully occupied during the height of the summer season. The volunteer fire crew responded immediately, working tirelessly to contain the blaze while awaiting outside reinforcements from the mainland. Events like this underscore how crucial well-trained responders are in a community that can’t always count on immediate backup.
Given these challenges, the need for comprehensive, hands-on emergency training is clear.
Inside Block Island’s Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department
Beth Rousseau—a 35-year veteran of Block Island’s Fire & Rescue Department, former Captain of the Rescue Team, and currently the only cardiac-trained EMT on the squad—also serves as executive assistant at the New Shoreham Police Department. She offered insight into how this all-volunteer department is structured and the unique challenges it faces.
The department is made up of more than 40 dedicated volunteers, between the Fire Department and the Rescue Squad. Each has its distinct roles, as well as shared roles. The Fire Department has Fire Alarm response crews that respond to all triggered fire alarms, determining whether it’s a real emergency, a system glitch, or a false alarm. The Fire Department also handles active or potential fire hazards—everything from car accidents and grass fires to plane crashes, structural fires, and everything in between. Meanwhile, the Rescue Team responds to all medical and trauma emergencies, as well as responding to all fire responses for standby purposes.
“In the summer, we see a lot of moped and bicycle accidents,” Beth shared. “With the island population swelling, the Rescue Team stays busy.”
As Training Coordinator for the Rescue Team, Beth was in the process of transitioning to a new training provider and site affiliation when she discovered ACLS Academy—and Dr. Shelley Lynch, ACLS Academy Founder and Instructor. What stood out immediately was Shelley’s flexibility and willingness to bring the training to Block Island, rather than requiring the team to travel to the mainland.
“They were so receptive to us and our situation,” Beth said. “Our location, the fact that we only had five trainees—it didn’t matter. They came to us. We didn’t have to find a classroom on the mainland. Shelley got on the ferry and stayed overnight here. That flexibility meant everything.”
Beth explained the critical reason behind that decision: “If we had taken five EMTs—myself included—off the island for training, we’d be leaving the community with dangerously low coverage. That’s just not ideal, especially with summer coming and call volume increasing. Sure, we could’ve split it into a few smaller classes, but we really wanted to get it done efficiently.”
Beth described Shelley as not only professional and knowledgeable but also a genuinely warm presence. “She was so easy to work with—accommodating, funny, a joy to have teaching us. Informative, kind, generous. Just really wonderful to work with. Both Shelley and her husband Chad, who organized the training, were so flexible and made the whole process easy, and that meant a lot.”
Why Training Matters for Block Island First Responders
Every second counts in an emergency, especially when hospital care is hours away. Block Island’s Fire & Rescue Department volunteers are responsible for stabilizing patients, performing emergency care, and ensuring they survive the journey to more advanced medical treatment.
For cardiac arrest victims, immediate CPR and defibrillation with an AED (automated external defibrillator) can mean the difference between life and death. Statistics show that performing CPR within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest can double or even triple a person's chances of survival. Given Block Island’s remote location, having a well-trained volunteer force capable of administering CPR confidently is vital.
The recent American Heart Association HeartSaver CPR and AED training led by Dr. Shelley Lynch wasn’t just another certification class—it was an opportunity to prepare Block Island’s responders for real-world emergencies.
The HeartSaver CPR and AED training provided them with the knowledge to:
✔ Recognize signs of cardiac arrest and perform high-quality CPR
✔ Use an AED effectively in an emergency
✔ Assist choking victims
✔ Provide basic life support until additional help arrives
By equipping five team members with American Heart Association HeartSaver CPR and AED training, ACLS Academy has amplified the department’s ability to respond to cardiac emergencies, particularly during the busy summer season, when the island’s population swells from 1,400 residents to over 20,000 visitors. More trained responders mean a greater likelihood that someone with the right skills will be on duty when an emergency strikes.
Now that these five team members have been certified, the ripple effect is profound. The need for CPR training on the island is large, especially during the summer season, as historically there have been few CPR instructors, sometimes as few as one individual, to facilitate the training on the island. The new HeartSaver CPR certified instructors will now be able to train the New Shoreham Town Departments of Police, Harbor Master, Community Service Office, Recreation, including beach and pool lifeguards, as well as the boat crews of the Interstate Navigation Company, which runs the Block Island Ferry, and even the general public. The number of individuals trained by the Block Island CPR instructors can range from 100-150 people annually, with each trained responder adding another layer of security for the Block Island community.
ACLS Academy’s Commitment to Expanding Emergency Training
ACLS Academy is dedicated to ensuring that life-saving training reaches all communities, including those in remote and underserved areas. Bringing training to Block Island is part of a larger mission to empower emergency responders and everyday citizens with the skills to act confidently in a crisis.
This initiative is just one example of how ACLS Academy is bridging gaps in emergency preparedness. Whether it’s in rural towns, coastal communities, or bustling cities, ACLS Academy believes that every person trained in CPR and AED use has the potential to save a life.
For those inspired by this story, ACLS Academy encourages individuals and organizations to seek CPR and AED training. Because when it comes to saving lives, knowledge is the most powerful tool of all.
ACLS Academy is an authorized American Heart Association (AHA) Aligned Training Center. We have three convenient locations in Massachusetts—Quincy, Bridgewater, and Newton Center—and most of our classes include an online training component. We provide high-quality courses taught by instructors practicing in the medical profession for ACLS, BLS, TNCC, ENPC, NRP, PALS, PALS Plus, PEARS, ACLS-EP, ASLS, Bloodborne Pathogen, HeartSaver CPR/AED, First Aid, and Instructor Courses. Please browse our catalog of courses.