The Regional First Responders Program is an innovative program that allows participating ambulance services to respond to emergencies affecting the citizens within their neighboring communities. Several EMS agencies in Northwest CT, working with Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and Litchfield County Dispatch, have developed a new mutual aid agreement that enables EMS personnel that may be closer, to respond when 911 is activated. The 911 dispatcher will notify a member of the Regional First Responder Team to go directly to the scene and provide care in any of the participating towns.

Participating Emergency Services include Harwinton Ambulance, New Hartford Ambulance, Norfolk Fire Department, Norfolk Lions Club Ambulance, and Winsted Area Ambulance Association.  The program was developed over the past two years with the assistance of Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, its Medical Director and EMS Coordinator, and Litchfield County Dispatch. These organizations came together in late November to finalize and sign the agreement detailing their cooperation and committing to moving forward with the initiative.