Public Employee Press

EMS volunteers build the confidence of disabled kids on Emergency Safety Day

By JOSEPH LOPEZ

As a member of Uniformed Emergency Medical Service Officers Local 3621, Lieutenant Maria Garcia knows that a trained response to an emergency situation can save lives. As the mother of a legally blind daughter, she also knows that many children living with blindness and deafness are never taught what to do when crisis strikes.

Garcia’s goal of providing disabled kids with skills and confidence to cope with disasters came to life at Emergency Safety Days held July 16 at M.S. 368 in the Bronx and July 23 at P.S. 177 in Queens.

Two hundred and fifty children with disabilities participated over the two days as volunteers from Local 3621 and Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics Local 2507 taught them vital lessons. The kids learned how to call 911, how to take a pulse and how to bandage a wound. They also had the opportunity to explore EMS emergency kits and tour rescue vehicles. “It demystifies an ambulance and makes it less horrifying,” Garcia said.

For the volunteers, working with the children proved a powerful experience. “It’s a wonderful thing,” said Peter Santiago, an Emergency Medical Technician from Station 20 in the Bronx. EMTs have an often thankless job and were touched by the appreciation shown to them by the kids, Garcia noted.

EMS Academy Trainer Dave Gill, who helped organize the event with Garcia, sees it as an opportunity to build confidence in the kids.
“When you see that smile when they accomplish a task, it’s an amazing experience,” he said. “The whole self-esteem thing is really cool,” Garcia added.

Garcia, who is president of the Parents of Blind Children of New York, hopes that Emergency Safety Day will continue to grow. “I would love to see this develop into a full-time program,” she said, noting that even nondisabled children would benefit from the lessons.