Happy EMS Week

[WolfmanHarris]

Latest EMS week festivities: One of our Regional Hospitals put up a "Happy EMS Week. Thanks for all you do." banner, just inside the Ambulance entrance. And apparently one of the nursing homes in North District had a muffin basket. But they were letting fire have some too, so...

[emtashelyb]

Apparently they are still celebrating it here. We got a new contract at work and they had a cook out gave out flashlights. I did get told by my partner that she had a bunch of nurses and patients asking about me since I was off on wensday. Gave me warm fuzzies made me feel like I actually do make a difference (and not the kind of pain in the ass one) in their lives. Thats better than any tshirt, cook out or flashlight in my book

[EMS Solutions]

Cool idea with the mini pins.

Tuesday, FDNY EMS Command Station 47 (Rockaway) was given a "Hero Sandwich" luncheon (3 8-foot heros, with a bunch of "fixin's"), sponsored by the St. John's Episcopal Hospital of Far Rockaway, NY.

Plaques were awarded to one of the station's Paramedics, and to an "Advanced EMT" from the Nassau County Police Department's Emergency Ambulance Bureau (4th Precinct-Hewlett, L I, NY), by the hospital CEO, Chief of the ER, and the ER Nursing Director.

True to form, even with all 4 BLS and 2 ALS units having been recalled to the station, they had to remain available during the ceremony. Even having all 3 FDNY EMS Division Chiefs from Queens County Borough Command (Division 4), as well as the NCPD Division Chief in attendance didn't prevent 2 of the BLS, and one of the ALS , teams being pulled away to do separate responses. They got assigned at roughly 30 second intervals, and went in different directions on leaving Station 47.

All EMS personnel assigned to Station 47 were given "EMS Week" pins by the department, as well as pins specifically designed as miniatures of the station shoulder patch. I was advised that all FDNY EMS stations that have their own design shoulder patches were getting mini-patch pins along with their EMS Week pins.

As I find and attend other events, I will report on them.

[Chief1C]

Today I was given a pin for 11 years of service. Kind of an odd deal, but I can add that to my dress uniform and take off the guardian angel ambulance one.

[Richard B the EMT]

Going off on the tangent:

If you've been working or volunteering in either EMS, FD, or LEO for 10 years, wear a dinosaur pin. Everyone loves my triceratops. An alternative of that is a name tag "rocker" such as is available from Our Designs or Galls, that reads "Serving Since ****", which would be the year you started.

[WolfmanHarris]

Attended our recognition night "Night of Stars" last night. It was really well done!

In front of the banquet hall was a PRU and Ambulance parked side by side with lights on. When you entered the hall the Chief, Deputy Chiefs and various Superintendent were in a short receiving line to greet every one.

In the front hall during the cocktail hour were appetizers, punch and cash bar. Two of our medics played their guitars and sang as people mingled. Off to one side they had a neat display: on one side a Ferno #30 with a dummy set up attached to the old heartstart and genesis. On the other a dummy on on our our 35X stretcher, hooked up the LP15, intubated under the Lucas CPR device. Really cool then and now display! This also marked the 10th anniversary of the service (post provincial download)

After the cocktail hour, everyone settled in. The Honour Guard and a Police piper lead in the Chief and guests of honour (Regional Chairman, Commissioner of Community Health Services, our Make-A-Wish Child for this year, etc.)

A really well done video on EMS and on the service was played. (Trying to get a copy to post, but may not be able to.)

Awards recognized:

- This year's ACP grads

- Recent recruits to the Special Response Unit (SRU)

- Stork pins and certificate for everyone who delivered a baby this year

- Rookie of the year

- Casual of the year

- Community Involvement

- Leadership (awarded to partners)

- "Shining Star" (just call it MVP)

- Recognition of those awarded the EMS Exemplary Service Medal this year (a national medal issued by the Governor General's office)

Other items of note:

- Handing over the keys to a donated decommissioned vehicle to GlobalMedic which will be part of a midwifery team in Haiti

- Handing over of the big cheque to Children's Wish Foundation by our service's "Medics for Kids" charity

- Speech from our Make-a-wish child (Paramedic for a Day) that brought everyone to tears.

- Our Deputy Chief in charge of Logistics shared the top 10 list for medics who's run the most calls (#1 had over 8600 and also happens to be the medic whose seniority date is 1968) in the last ten years and for the medics who spent the most time on offload delay (the #1 had spent the equivalent of 186 days on offload)

- Recognition of a medic who was awarded a medal for bravery from the Police for pulling a lady from an overturned car that landed in a pond.

- Recognition of the efforts of one of our Sup's that has ensured that an Ambulance and medics from our service are present along the Highway of Heroes to pay respect to every fallen Canadian soldier on his or her way home.

- Speeches from bosses and big wigs to make everyone feel warm and fuzzy

Oh ya and we had a dinner followed by a dance.

I know I bitched earlier about a lack of recognition for medics during EMS week. I take it back. Sure my ticket for last night cost me $30/person, but what we got was worth way more than that. (And I imagine the service must have subsidized a good chunk)

Edited May 22, 2010 by docharris

[Richard B the EMT]

I already mentioned the luncheon that the St John's Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway threw for the FDNY EMS Station 47 folks. The other main 9-1-1 receiving hospital on the Rockaways is Peninsula Hospital Center.

PHC had a banner over the ER doors, saying "Thank You to all EMS/EMS Week 2010". While nowhere as elaborate as the party St John's threw, PHC was giving out mini-Leatherman knockoffs with the hospital name on them.