Medic137

Read this before ordering. Complaint Board

Me too!!! We've got plenty of them in the emergency services, and they may be more dangerous than the blinding lights at an accident scene!

From 1010 WINS Local News Posted: Tuesday, 28 August 2007 11:24AM Putnam Finds Money to Pay for Paramedics CARMEL, N.Y. (AP) -- Putnam County Legislators Monday approved the $165,000 needed to keep advanced life support paramedics on the road through the end of the year. Empire Ambulance Company said it was losing money and needed the $165,000 to finish out the year. Two weeks ago, Putnam lawmakers voted against the funding. But petitions signed by doctors and nurses at the Putnam Hospital Center and comments from other citizens got the lawmakers to reverse their decision. The paramedics offer advanced life support that volunteer emergency medical technicians can't provide. 1010 WINS

Journal News Editorial Journal News

And then delete them from your fund drive mailing list and hope you don't need their vote for the new firehouse.

Got 9 out of 10.

Although it has been a few years since I worked in the HYPOTHETICAL JURISTICTION, I remember the problem being: The FULLY STAFFED MEDICAL FACILITY always called the EMERGENCY CONTROL CENTER who insisted on considering every call they received as an emergency. Rather than contacting the FULLY STAFFED PAID SERVICE directly, they sent the closest available ambulance and medic. If the FULLY STAFFED PAID SERVICE was already on a call, the nearest available VOLUNTEER SQUAD and medic were sent. I can't say anyone was doing anything wrong, everyone was following the procedures their administrators put in place.

Radio system upgrade OK likely By John Davis Poughkeepsie Journal August 7, 2007 Dutchess County's police, firefighters and paramedics could be getting a boost soon in their emergency radio reception. There is strong support in the county Legislature to borrow $1.5 million to purchase and install the Simulcast Radio System for the county's 911 dispatch center. County Executive William Steinhaus recently proposed upgrading the signal transmission from the Department of Emergency Response to police, fire and ambulance agencies throughout the county. There are pockets of the county where the 911 radio signal is weak. The new system would eliminate that problem. "There's a lot of areas you go to the north and east that aren't covered," said Legislator David Kelly, R-Pawling. Kelly and the other 12 Republican county lawmakers appear poised to vote in favor of borrowing the money Monday. Most Democrats will likely support the new radio system, said Minority Leader Roger Higgins, D-Poughkeepsie. "It seems like it's something we need to do upgrade," Higgins said. "I would be surprised if there was any real opposition from the Democrats." Interest hikes loan To borrow the $1,513,000 for the system, the county will pay 4.75 percent in interest to pay the loan back in 10 years - a total cost of $1,908,271. Because the vote Monday is to borrow money, at least 17 of the 25 lawmakers would need to approve it. Legislator Robert Rolison, R-Poughkeepsie, a Town of Poughkeepsie police officer, said the upgrade would allow signals to be broadcast simultaneously from the seven radio towers throughout the county. Reach John Davis at jpdavis@poughkeepsiejournal.com or 845-437-4807.

Maybe Putnam and Dutchess could get together on a system to cover both counties. Putnam's system is 20 years out of date and needs to be upgraded. Dutchess could use antennas on the AT&T tower, Ninham, and Tower Hill in Patterson to cover southern Dutchess and Putnam could piggy back onto the system. After they get done paying for ALS, of course.

If Greenvaven was on fire would Beekman FD consider it a "game" if they responded? Would they refuse to go because they would be leaving the rest of the town unprotected? Nursing homes, prisons, homeless shelters, and baseball stadiums are all part of districts they are located in. They are entitled to the same services as everyone else.

About 10 years back when the county wanted 5 digit identifiers for EMS vehicles we repainted the rigs as 86501, 502, and 503. When the they changed their minds again we went back to 8601 etc. As we are dispatched by Yorktown PD and rarely need to communicate with 60 Control, it's not really an issue. We all know that when we are sent out of town we should identify ourselves using the county's nomenclature.

Alamo had two new rigs on the road and at least one more being prepped the last time I was there. They are on GMC chassis. I haven't worked in one yet. Abbey Richmond had a Chevy Amb. with a sliding side door. Also a Dodge Amb.

This is the way I remember it: When Transcare bought Abbey Richmond the Abbey rigs were not repainted. The two White Plains Ambulances remained 406 (Mobile 1) and 407 (Mobile 2). When the merger with Metropolitan occuered two new 1999 vans were sent to White Plains. Nos. 905 and 935. They were painted with the Metrocare colors but said "Abbey Richmond" on the sides. "MetroCare" was writen in small letters on the rear quarter panels. I think those were the last ambulances to say "Abbey Richmond". All the remaining Abbey rigs were repainted to say "MetroCare".

Maybe he was chasing him.

Welcome back Bob! Bill

Oneeye, remember the guy at the Ludlow St. Station? Got hit by a train, thrown into a tree, fell out of the tree onto the third rail. AND LIVED. In those days we had to ask for permission to leave the city to take him to WMC.

Big D!! I didn't figure out who were until now.

EMT from Jan. '94 to Jan. '97. We didn't have numbers back then. Worked a 24 from 1900 Friday to 1900 Saturday in Yonkers. The first 12 was on Medic 16 with Erik "You can walk" Lindholm. Then the day shift on Medic 6 with Malcolm "Stealth Master" Dixon. (Maintain radio silence) Sunday 0700 to 1900 with Mike Lamorgese on Medic 2. I left for "More money, less Sugrue" Miss the most: Satuday nights in Yonkers with Buck, and later, Tommy Sal as Supervisor.

A little farther to the right and he might have made it. I still duck when I drive a box style Ambulance under the overpass on Rt. 311!

Ambulances 37, 38, & 39 all had the "Pimp seats". But 39 was the only van style commercial ambulace I've worked in that had a side window in the patient compartment.

03/30/2007 Public health crisis averted By: Weston Berg The Pawling Town Board met in an emergency session last Friday evening to address a sudden public health crisis, as the state Department of Health deemed it, triggered by a sudden announcement by Empire Ambulance that it would be discontinuing emergency services to the town, creating a potentially perilous and unforeseen situation for residents. Since December, the town had been receiving service through Empire for no charge and with no contract, under an agreement that it would continue to do so until April 1 while Town Supervisor Beth Coursen, through SEDAC, a consortium of officials neighboring Dover, Union Vale, and Beekman, prepared a request for bids seeking a regional ambulance provider that would service all four towns at an affordable rate. But that all changed very suddenly last week, a few weeks after SEDAC's request went out, when Empire informed the town it couldn't afford to maintain the relationship and announced they would be discontinuing services in less than 24 hours. The sudden news left the town board scrambling to find a new provider. Meanwhile Coursen bought time by convincing Empire to continue service up until 6 p.m. last Friday, the date of the meeting. As a stopgap measure, the town board at the Friday meeting hired Northern Dutchess Paramedics up through April 1 at a cost $10,350. On Wednesday, March 28, the board will be meeting at 5 p.m. to choose among five proposals from emergency providers that would provide a slightly more long-term solution, with service from April through the end of the year. The startling pull out from Empire left many on the board stunned, especially considering its stated agreement, recorded in past meeting minutes, that they would continue service to the town until April, which representatives had said could be sustained through insurance company payments. "My speculation is that Empire believed that it would be rewarded the contract in absence of having to respond for our request for proposal," said Town Councilman James Benson. "Empire made a very firm commitment that's recorded to provide us ambulance service free of charge for the first three months. We relied on Empire's assurances and we had no reason to believe otherwise." Though a bid did come back from Empire, after it had made its jarring announcement, Coursen said it was far too expensive to act on in time. "We pretty quickly got sticker shock," said Coursen, describing the consortium's reaction to the $350,000 bid that came back. The last time Pawling had such a contract was in 2005 with Alamo, for $127,000. "When SEDAC made the announcement that we weren't awarding the contract in April, Empire did not take that well," explained Coursen. Though Dover, Union Vale, and Beekman all currently have contracts until the end of the year, Pawling does not, making it the only town seriously endangered by the emergency. Meanwhile, as Pawling prepares to make a decision that will ensure the safety of residents for the rest of the year, Coursen said SEDAC will continue to consider its proposals for 2008. According to Coursen, the crisis highlighted a growing area of concern, besides high ambulance costs, in particular, the increasing reliance of the community on emergency services, even as volunteerism for them decreases. Though surrounding communities do have volunteer EMTs, Pawling does not. "One of the good outcomes of this very precarious situation is going to be a realization on the part of members of the community that emergency services are extremely important," said Coursen, warning the town not to lose sight of the value of its volunteer fire department, which could one day face a similar predicament if a dwindling ability to recruit forces the town to switch over to paid firefighters. "I ask all of you to please do your best to support all the members of the fire department." Pawling News Chronicle

Poughkeepsie Journal Tuesday, April 3, 2007 Pawling turns to Alamo PAWLING - The town board voted in favor of hiring Alamo Ambulance at an emergency meeting Friday - now it must determine how to pay for it. Services temporarily provided by Northern Dutchess paramedics ended 6 a.m. Sunday. This was after Empire Ambulance Service canceled its services last week. The contract with Alamo would end Dec. 31, Supervisor Beth Coursen said. An estimated $300,000 in service fees is required for the remainder of 2007. The town only has $150,000 budgeted. At the 5 p.m. meeting, the town board determined any amount that isn't budgeted for the service will come out of the fund balance, Coursen said. She would like to avoid resorting to that because she feels the fund balance is too low. "So on Wednesday, we are going to discuss cutbacks," Coursen said. Possible cutbacks to recreation programs and town hall services will be considered. In addition, cutbacks to the library will be examined. Coursen said this is provided, "they won't have a serious detrimental effect on our ability to deliver service to residents." In 2008, the town will either have to raise taxes to pay for the ambulance service or cut back in services. "I favor cutbacks ... the property owners in the community sent clear messages to the government they can't afford more property tax increases," Coursen said. -Leigh Gomez It seems that a full time ALS ambulance costs about $1200 per day. The other towns better start saving up!

As a stopgap measure, the town board at the Friday meeting hired Northern Dutchess Paramedics up through April 1 at a cost $10,350. On Wednesday, March 28, the board will be meeting at 5 p.m. to choose among five proposals from emergency providers that would provide a slightly more long-term solution, with service from April through the end of the year. If NDP needed slightly more than $1,000. per day to cover until April 1, Why is the town board shocked at $350,000 per year?

Another UHF frequency, some hardware, and most importantly: Someone to pay for it.