Engine 53 and new equipment to support a new role in Merced as an Advanced Life Support unit.
Battalion Chief Mickey Brunelli, at center, cuts a ribbon — symbolically represented by an EKG strip — to officially welcome Engine 53 to its new role as an Advanced Life Support unit. Brunelli is surrounded by members of the Merced City Council.
Fire Station 53 and its namesake engine — based along Loughborough Drive near the Merced Mall — has begun providing the community with an Advanced Life Support (ALS) unit that is being described as a major enhancement to local emergency medical services.
“This was a significant achievement, not just for our fire department, but for everyone who lives, works, and visits Merced,” said Interim Fire Chief Casey Wilson during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 2. “By upgrading to ALS, Engine 53 became equipped to provide a higher level of emergency medical care, ensuring that when every second counts, we can deliver the best possible care to those in need.”
The ALS upgrade, boosted by 24/7 paramedic staffing, enables Engine 53 to offer life-saving advanced medical interventions, including administering medications, starting IVs, performing advanced airway procedures, and interpreting EKGs.
Operating out of the city’s busiest fire station, the Engine 53 crew responded to nine ALS service calls in the first 24 hours after officially upgrading to its new ALS status.
While Basic Life Support (BLS) training requires approximately 170 hours of instruction, ALS paramedic-level training involves 1,200 to 1,800 hours, reflecting the higher level of expertise necessary to deliver this elevated care.
Recognizing the team behind the upgrade, Chief Wilson expressed gratitude to city leaders, Merced County staff, Merced College Paramedic Program staff, and Fire Department support staff for their commitment to making this vision a reality. He also recognized the years of hard work, training, and dedication from the department’s firefighters and paramedics.
Currently, the department has eight fully accredited paramedics: Nathan Kelly, Austin Johnson, Brandon Ralls, Kenneth Abrahamian, Sean Jones, Anthony Jakosa, Diego Basulto, and Christopher Brusenback. Additionally, three paramedics— Ed Englert, Armando Flores, and Logan Fischer — are in the final stage of their training, and six more firefighters will begin paramedic training this month.
Chief Wilson recognized the dedicated paramedics who have invested thousands of hours in training to elevate the level of service the department provides to our community and thanked them for their dedication.
Chief Wilson also acknowledged former Fire Chief Derek Parker for his vision in expanding EMS services and laying the foundation for this achievement. He also gave special recognition to Battalion Chief Mickey Brunelli for his exceptional leadership and passion for EMS, noting that Chief Brunelli’s commitment to excellence played a pivotal role in reaching this milestone.
The ceremony concluded with members of the Merced City Council standing around Battalion Chief Brunelli as he cut a ribbon — symbolically represented by an EKG strip — to officially welcome Engine 53 to its new role as an Advanced Life Support unit.