What Ever Happened To The SOD Of NYC*EMS?

[Guest]

Back in the early 90's I came down from Ma. and road with SOD "Eddie" out of Brooklyn we took in a few EMS jobs, I got to see the Operations Ctr. in Queens and a few other things... What ever happen to the Special Operations Division of NYC EMS

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I remember an article on Firehouse.com about FDNY starting a new rescue-medic program where the medics/EMTs actually assist in the rescues, allowing them to treat sooner. Don't have much information on it though.

[mlfcemt093 0]

I remember an article on Firehouse.com about FDNY starting a new rescue-medic program where the medics/EMTs actually assist in the rescues, allowing them to treat sooner.  Don't have much information on it though.

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Those buses in new york are paramedic staffed and they are rescue medics the busses are know as robert buses the medics go through confined space rescue classes they also I believe go through the fire rescue school so they can be on the same page during rescues

[20y2 43]

In short, the SOD part of EMS disappeared soon after the takeover by FDNY. It's back in very limited form in the form of 'Rescue' units. They took the place of ALS 'Haz-Tac' buses in the city, but only a very few number. What's funny is that they are still in the regular lineup for a job in their area, they aren't listed lower in the 'Sugu string', which would put them lower in the response matrix.

[tbendick 27]

NYC EMS SOD went away with the Merger. FDNY saw most of it as a dup of services, such as the EMS field Comm, etc.

They went on to form the "Emergency Response Squad" which ran one support unit each tour. They would go as ERSX X for the tour. This was then shut down and there was nothing but a messed up haztac program for sometime.

They then started up the haztac and began to expanded it so they added the haztac Lt's going as Haztac1 and Haztac2.

And the most recent change was the addition of the USAR Rescue Medics one in each boro.

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As far as these units responding on normal calls. This will not change anytime soon.. FDNY still sends Rescues and Squads on normal calls in it's response areas.

[Guest partyrock]

Personally I'm glad the HazTac and Rescue units are still doing regular calls. There are s few calls where they are actually needed for their specialized skills that their patient care would probbly suffer if they were held for their specialized calls.

[mlfcemt093 0]

Personally I'm glad the HazTac and Rescue units are still doing regular calls.  There are s few calls where they are actually needed for their specialized skills that their patient care would probbly suffer if they were held for their specialized calls.

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I'm glad thats what u think.... we would like to be placed lower on the suger strings so we can do what we are trained for instead of the drunk on the corner, that way the "regular" line units don't have to do what we're trained for, and people w/ a little bit more knowlege and equipment are on scene.

[Guest partyrock]

To my limited knowledge since the rescue units have ben out only once was one requesed when the borough unit was unavailable and the manhattan unit picked it up. Since there is only one per borough now, when they are not running down one or more, th eodds of having a rescue medic available when you need it are not greatley influenced by moving them down the SUGU string. In fact, the may be increased because lets face it ALS is in highdemand in NYC. So if you rotate them down the string they are more likely to get passed over for jobs in their own area just to get put oon jobs that are further away, potentially increasing your unavailable times. As for the haztacs, there are enough where you could possibly justify dropping them down the tring, but how often do they get haztac related calls?

If the city really wanted to use this resource approptiately they need to put them where the greatest risk is. Rescue medics and haztac first due for all fire standbys. If sh!t goes down us hose monkeys are going to be first in wether it be a fire that turns hazmat (hunts point autowrecker) or it be an attack of some sort.

This however doesn't change my opinion that i want the people treating me to be seasoned vets. You could spend a thousand hours a year for 5 years practicing and know the book front to back, but I'd rather have a guy who was knee deep in the dirt the last five years treating me. There is no eplacement for hands on experiance.