Public Employee Press

DC 37 helps New York City recover from the hurricane
Record calls to EMS

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

Imagine trying to administer first aid in the dark.

That was one of several critical tasks EMS worker Anthony Almojera and his colleagues had to carry out when Hurricane Sandy battered New York.

Stationed in Brooklyn, the nine-year veteran rescued several elderly residents from the top floors of a public housing project and then administered an IV.

"It's a challenge doing that when it's pitch black outside," he explained. "But that's the nature of our job."

Like many of his colleagues, Almojera worked an extra shift while having to deal with losing power in his own home. Some members worked three days straight without going home to change their uniforms because Sandy wrecked their homes.

"I am so proud of the men and women in this local," said Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics Local 2507 President Israel Miranda. "In addition to the power outages and gas shortages, there were also safety issues to deal with in the field, like in Rockaway, where there was gunfire."

With power down in Rockaway, the local sent hot trays of food to their members on the job so that they could eat. "There was absolutely nothing functioning there," said Miranda.

During the first couple of days of the hurricane, Miranda said, they received a record of close to 6,000 emergency calls. "That's more than what they get in Boston during a whole month," he said.

Four EMS stations in the city were also flooded. Station 47 in Rockaway, Station 43 in Coney Island, Station 4 in the South Street Seaport, and Station 10 at Metropolitan Hospital in East Harlem, had to be shut down.

"Hurricane Sandy has been more devastating then anyone would have thought," said the local president. "Once again our members have stepped up during a serious crisis and put their own safety on the line to help their fellow New Yorkers. We should all be very proud of them. "