JANET STEVENS

"ALS A-2 is in service and ready for calls," Executive Councilor Janet Stevens announced over the radio from the front seat of the Plaistow paramedic intercept vehicle, as a new regional service launched Friday afternoon that will provide critical emergency care to 18 communities in southeastern New Hampshire... The hospital originally planned to shut the ALS service down just 10 days after towns were notified, but in the wake of criticism from Executive Councilor Stevens and other state and local officials who argued the hospital was required to give a 90-day notice, the hospital agreed to extend the deadline to March 21... The hospital also agreed to provide $2 million to cover start-up costs for the first year of the new service.