Yonkers ambulance company on alert for pontiff's visit

[x635 4,066]

Yonkers ambulance company on alert for pontiff's visit

(04/16/08) YONKERS - The Empress Ambulance Service is ready to help with any medical needs that may arise when more than 20,000 people descend on St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers for the pope’s visit on Saturday.

Thirty ambulances, along with 70 EMTs and paramedics, will be on hand for the event. Capt. Mike Jefferies says with such a large crowd expected, Empress will be ready for action with a brand new truck.

Jefferies says the truck will be equipped with medical supplies and life support equipment. It will also have a mobile command center set up to communicate with other agencies. Jefferies says the truck will be able to handle heart attacks and will even have antidotes on hand in the event of a biological or chemical terror attack.

There is also a handpicked team of Empress EMTs assigned especially to Pope Benedict XVI.

CREDIT: News 12 Westchester

http://www.news12.com/WC/topstories/article?id=210166

[Iceemt21 0]

I know the Empress was looking for an additional 10 BLS buses from the county. Is anybody sending?

[Guest]

I remember being told that when Pope John Paul II visited Yonkers, Empress was in charge of handeling any of the Cardinals or Bishops that went down and Our Lady of Mercy was to handle the Pope.

Does anyone know what EMS agencies has been assigned to handel the Popes detail or any of the hospitals designated for the Pope. Also who primary handels the dignatary EMS?

I just think it is Amazing that the Pope is in Yonkers! This is certainly a historical moment. Probably the last time we will see this Pope visit New York or even American for that fact because of his age. Really just what an expierence, makes me wish I never moved from Westchester!

[Guest]

For NY City, St.Vincent's hospital is handling it. I know one of the Medics personally and he told me they purchased two brand new Buses to follow him around.

[ny10570 745]

I remember being told that when Pope John Paul II visited Yonkers, Empress was in charge of handeling any of the Cardinals or Bishops that went down and Our Lady of Mercy was to handle the Pope.

Does anyone know what EMS agencies has been assigned to handel the Popes detail or any of the hospitals designated for the Pope. Also who primary handels the dignatary EMS?

I just think it is Amazing that the Pope is in Yonkers! This is certainly a historical moment. Probably the last time we will see this Pope visit New York or even American for that fact because of his age. Really just what an expierence, makes me wish I never moved from Westchester!

I don't know any of the details for the Yonkers portion of the trip, but in NYC St. Vincents is providing a paramedic crew for the Pope. All other dignitarys and personnel involved are covered by the FDNY EMS dignitary protection unit. There are preselected hospitals that depending on where the along the travel routes they are dictate which hospital he is transported to.

You're lucky you not in Westchester this weekend. Unless your involved with the pope's visit it is such and amazing hassle.

[MGMedic 0]

FDNY EMS was the lead agency for the papal visit. FDNY DPU medics were assigned 24 hr. coverage of the Pope from landing until wheels up. St. Vincent's (much to the chagrin of the Secret Service) was placed in the motorcade at the request of the Archdiocese of NY. It was solely a political move.

[Guest]

FDNY EMS was the lead agency for the papal visit. FDNY DPU medics were assigned 24 hr. coverage of the Pope from landing until wheels up. St. Vincent's (much to the chagrin of the Secret Service) was placed in the motorcade at the request of the Archdiocese of NY. It was solely a political move.

Is St. Vincents run by the Archdiocese?

[ny10570 745]

Seeing as how the full name of the hospital is St. Vincents Catholic Medical Centers I'm going to assume there is at the very least a connection with the Archdiocese.

[NJMedic 96]

The only mention of St Vincent's I could find on the web site of the New York Archdiocese was in their time line that in 1849 St Vincent's was the first Catholic Hospital in the US. On the hospital web site is says the hospital is sponsored by the Bishop of Brooklyn but I could find anything on the Brooklyn Diocese web site about the hospital. I have to ask by uncle the Monsignor if he knows, his is based in Hartsdale and has been a Catholic priest for 50 years in the NY Archdiocese.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I have to ask, was it wise, from an operational security standpoint to say that Empress' Special Ops vehicle will have chem/bio antidotes on board? I remember a few weeks ago we were discussiong the Mk1 Atropene kits and people declined to discuss where they are located for the sake of security. Personally, I think that was alittle rash on the part of Empress/the media to release that information.

[Guest TOYBUFF911]

I have to ask, was it wise, from an operational security standpoint to say that Empress' Special Ops vehicle will have chem/bio antidotes on board? I remember a few weeks ago we were discussiong the Mk1 Atropene kits and people declined to discuss where they are located for the sake of security. Personally, I think that was alittle rash on the part of Empress/the media to release that information.

You have to understand that the new truck was debuted during that episode and rushed into service for the Papal visit. It was not intended for the pope but that is what the truck is geared for by Empress once this assignment is over.

[NJMedic 96]

I have to ask, was it wise, from an operational security standpoint to say that Empress' Special Ops vehicle will have chem/bio antidotes on board? I remember a few weeks ago we were discussiong the Mk1 Atropene kits and people declined to discuss where they are located for the sake of security. Personally, I think that was alittle rash on the part of Empress/the media to release that information.

WHY?

[ny10570 745]

That would be so low on a terrorists priority list, that if they get to the level where they are attacking small stockpiles of Mark 1 antidote kits we are so far beyond f-ed that it won't matter.

[Guest]

I know the Empress was looking for an additional 10 BLS buses from the county. Is anybody sending?

valhalla ambulance was going, but county cancelled the 10 additional BLS ambulances the day prior, due to lack of participation

[helicopper 1,050]

Given the heat and lack of shade at the site, does anyone know how busy EMS was on Saturday?

[Oswegowind 17]

There were at least 15 medical aided cases prior to the Pope's arrival. Assisting was the Yonkers FD on first responder basis along with the Empress EMS personnel at the site. There may have been more, but I was busy managing the regular police action, which included a ridiculous (shouldn't have happened) foot pursuit on Nodine Hill!

[x635 4,066]

but county cancelled the 10 additional BLS ambulances the day prior, due to lack of participation

Can the above be confirmed? I can't imagine, first off, that the County would cancel having 10 ambulances on stanbdy for a worldwide dignitary visit. Then again, this is the one of the wealthiest counties in that nation where some agencies can't even handle a papercut at 10AM on a Wednesday.

I know Empress spent a lot of their money on overtime to staff additonal buses, but hoping someone can elaborate on the DES side of things.

[Guest]

Can the above be confirmed? I can't imagine, first off, that the County would cancel having 10 ambulances on stanbdy for a worldwide dignitary visit. Then again, this is the one of the wealthiest counties in that nation where some agencies can't even handle a papercut at 10AM on a Wednesday.

I know Empress spent a lot of their money on overtime to staff additonal buses, but hoping someone can elaborate on the DES side of things.

the day prior to the event, i recieved a voicemail from a DES employee and she stated the stand-by was off. i called her back and just asked her why it was cancelled, just out of curiosity...like you said a head of state, the head of the catholic church was the reason we were going. she said it was lack of participation. my assumption to that was, lack of participation meant a waste of time.

i must say i was quite agrivated about the cancelation. i spent a damn good amount of time trying to get a crew together. I was the one who wasted their time...at least the DES people were paid to waste their time...

Edited April 24, 2008 by vacguy

[Oswegowind 17]

the day prior to the event, i recieved a voicemail from a DES employee and she stated the stand-by was off. i called her back and just asked her why it was cancelled, just out of curiosity...like you said a head of state, the head of the catholic church was the reason we were going. she said it was lack of participation. my assumption to that was, lack of participation meant a waste of time.

i must say i was quite agrivated about the cancelation. i spent a damn good amount of time trying to get a crew together. I'm the one who wasted their time...at least the DES people were paid to waste their time...

Ouch, it was too sunny and too long a day, consider yourself saved even more of a hassle. I am sure you guys would have come if something went down and we needed mutual aid down here, and knowing that is good enough all around!

[Guest]

Ouch, it was too sunny and too long a day, consider yourself saved even more of a hassle. I am sure you guys would have come if something went down and we needed mutual aid down here, and knowing that is good enough all around!

lol yea it was a hot one. WCDES planned for us to stand-by at mt. vernon high school, so it's not like i was looking for a free ticket to meet the pope!

[helicopper 1,050]

lol yea it was a hot one. WCDES planned for us to stand-by at mt. vernon high school, so it's not like i was looking for a free ticket to meet the pope!

Mt Vernon HS? Any idea how they arrived at that location for you to stand-by? With the Cross County Parkway closed and incredibly heavy traffic on local roads as a result, there'd be no good way to get from MVHS to the Seminary or even into Yonkers.

[Guest]

Mt Vernon HS? Any idea how they arrived at that location for you to stand-by? With the Cross County Parkway closed and incredibly heavy traffic on local roads as a result, there'd be no good way to get from MVHS to the Seminary or even into Yonkers.

not a clue, that was where i was told to go. i have no idea where Mt Vernon High School is, but a friend of mine in empress said it only a few min drive. so the info i gathered was we were just going to be stashed to the side, but on-hand in case empress couldn't handle an incident. i assume we would have a PD escort to the seminar. i can't remember if it was the 4th of July last year or the Empire State Games, but either way the Bronx Pky was closed, we had a call and WCPD bikes escorted us to the scene...that's my only guess. other than that i no i dea what the plan was, only an assumption from the very little info i was given.

[Bnechis 3,961]

valhalla ambulance was going, but county cancelled the 10 additional BLS ambulances the day prior, due to lack of participation

So what else is new in this county

[Bnechis 3,961]

There were at least 15 medical aided cases prior to the Pope's arrival. Assisting was the Yonkers FD on first responder basis along with the Empress EMS personnel at the site. There may have been more, but I was busy managing the regular police action, which included a ridiculous (shouldn't have happened) foot pursuit on Nodine Hill!

I was told (by YFD) that they treated over 125 people (most treat and release). The biggest problem was they site ran out of water and no one was willing to go to where the water was, for fear of losing his/her spot