The Ambulance Science Podcast: More Parody Than Parity

The Ambulance Science Podcast: More Parody Than Parity

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Hosts Scot Phelps and Maria Werner talk about a potpourri of issues in EMS, everything from the San Diego (CA) Deputy Sheriff who allegedly OD’ed on fentanyl, raises coming to the FDNY EMS and COVID-19.

Previous: The ‘EMS Man’ Always Rings Twice

San Diego Deputy Sheriff Fentanyl “OD”:

Sheriff Shocked by Pushback 

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2021-08-09/sheriff-shocked-by-pushback-from-medical-experts-over-fentanyl-video

Video of Officer’s Collapse After Handling Powder Draws Skepticism
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/07/us/san-diego-police-overdose-fentanyl.html?referringSource=articleShare

Poison Control Director Lew Nelson

https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/video-of-deputy-collapsing-after-fentanyl-exposure-raising-questions/”

UPDATE: “Sheriff Bill Gore said he diagnosed the deputy’s supposed overdose, not a doctor” On Thursday the department confirmed the hospital did not take a toxicology sample from Faiivae.  

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/sdso-release-more-footage-of-contested-fentanyl-overdose-shown-in-psa-says-hospital-never-confirmed-overdose/2690139/

COVID-Related Stuff I Referenced: 

Interim Estimates of 2019–20 Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness — United States, February 2020

“According to data from the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network…the overall estimated effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine for preventing medically attended, laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection was 45%.”
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6907a1.htm?s_cid=mm6907a1_w

CDC stopping testing for asymptomatic transmission of COVID

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/30/pressure-cdc-breakthrough-cases-501821

COVID cases

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html

NJ COVID cases

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/new-jersey-covid-cases.html

20% of new cases are breakthrough cases

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/08/no-new-covid-deaths-among-fully-vaccinated-in-nj-but-positive-tests-are-up-murphy-says.html

Cuomo Book Sales/Cuomo-sexual:

Cuomo book sales-$5M contract with $3.2M UP FRONT after last book sold less than 4,000 copies.

“Many in the publishing industry were stunned by the size of Mr. Cuomo’s advance. While former presidents often land multimillion-dollar book deals — Penguin Random House paid more than $60 million for Barack and Michelle Obama’s memoirs, and Bill Clinton sold his autobiography to Knopf for about $15 million — Mr. Cuomo’s deal seemed to be an outsize sum for a governor.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/10/books/cuomo-book-penguin-random-house.html

Randy Rainbow:

FDNY Contract:

FDNY reach contract deal-top paid FDNY EMT now makes a $53,437 base salary; after 5 yrs on the job this will increase to $68,700, after 20 years goes up to $74,100. A top paid FDNY Paramedic now makes a $65K base, goes up to $86,379 in 5 years.
“More parody than parity” 

https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-edit-ems-pay-deal-20210811-552zz23jkbbrpn5uxtz2e4s2lm-story.html

(Commentary: Kinda makes the proposed FDNY increases seem less impressive, especially when you consider that voluntary hospital medics are ALREADY making what is only proposed for the FDNY medics….)

FDNY EMS Uniformed Status Summary Judgment: 

https://www.local2507.com/contracts/uniform_status.pdf

Uniformed Services Bargaining:

https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/12/archives/4-uniformed-services-plan-to-unite-for-new-york-city-contract-talks.html

Sanitation Worker Pay:

https://www.silive.com/news/2015/10/what_do_nycs_uniformed_civil_s.html

The Power of Compounding Interest:

https://www.moneyunder30.com/power-of-compound-interest

Five year FDNY EMS Turnover is 70%:

https://thechiefleader.com/news/news_of_the_week/ems-union-president-hemorrhaging-jobs-because-of-low-pay/article_7e941dfa-82bf-11eb-994c-172602d5bba2.html

Death of Jacob Dindinger and Shooting of Cassandra Moreno:

https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/public-invited-to-pay-respects-to-slain-emt-along-funeral-procession?

NYC 9/11 Direct Line of Duty Deaths (just in case you’ve forgotten):

-NY Presbyterian Hospital EMS Paramedic Keith Fairben
-FDNY EMS Paramedic Carlos Lillo
-Montefiore Medical Center EMS Paramedic Yamel Merino
-Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps EMT Richard Pearlman (Mutual Aid Response System)
-FDNY EMS Paramedic Ricardo Quinn
-NY Presbyterian Hospital EMS Paramedic Mario Santoro
-Hunter Ambulance EMS Mark Schwartz (Mutual Aid Response System)
-Cabrini Medical Center EMS EMT Marc Sullins

“Gov orders flags at half staff.”: 

https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/emt-shot-in-silverlake-park-has-died-family-says

Gov orders flags at half staff:

https://azgovernor.gov/governor/news/2021/07/governor-ducey-orders-flags-half-staff-honor-emt-jacob-dindinger

A go fund me isn’t the same as public recognition and support: 

https://ambulance.org/tag/global-medical-response-gmr/

Arizona firefighter LODD benefits: 

https://www.firehero.org/resources/family-resources/benefits/local/az/

Federal public safety officer benefit program:

https://psob.bja.ojp.gov/

2012 PSOB modified by the Dale Long Act to include clinicians working for non-profit EMS agencies: 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://psob.bja.ojp.gov/dale-long-act&ved=2ahUKEwiak6LwwK7yAhULHc0KHYy3CBkQFnoECAgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2OkeFth99thzoBu186fNlb

“Best Life Insurance for Young Adults”:

https://www.investopedia.com/best-life-insurance-for-young-adults-4846337

JACOB DINDINGER Go Fund Me at $185k: 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-emt-jacob-dindinger-his-family?qid=a1c5d8d1a8a62b42b7a880902829e625

CASSANDRA MORENO Go Fund Me at $25k:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-injured-emt

FEMA COVID Death and Burial Benefits:

https://www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance/faq#documentation


Here’s the federal Public Safety Officer Benefit web site for death OR disability. It covers government, non-profit, and volunteer EMS.
https://psob.bja.ojp.gov/benefits/

The Great Garbage Strike of 1968:

https://untappedcities.com/2015/02/11/today-in-nyc-history-the-great-garbage-strike-of-1968/

1989 British Ambulance Strike:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989%E2%80%931990_British_ambulance_strike

Nine-hour wait for an Ambulance in Queensland:

https://www.9news.com.au/videos/national/queensland-ambulance-has-apologised-to-the-family-of-a-mitchelton-mother-who-died-waiting-more-than/cks4eenbd00030gk76zil3hvn

Ambulances at Critical Level in Indiana:

https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/officials-long-traa-response-times-due-to-staffing-shortage/

Ambulance Levels Critical in Florida and Tennessee:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/12/us/memphis-brevard-county-ems-system-overworked/index.html

All NYC Ambulance Deaths: 

Here’s the full list of NYC line of duty ambulance deaths:
1. 1893 Riverside Hospital Ambulance Driver Dennis J. Ward 5/15/1893 (Typhus)
2. 1898 Bellevue Hospital Ambulance Driver John Gerry 9/4/1898 (Heat Exhaustion)
3. Bellevue Ambulance Driver Paddy Travers, 07/07/1901 (MVC-firetruck)*
4. St Johns LIC Ambulance Driver John Wallace, 08/09/1905 (Pneumonia)
5. Roosevelt Hospital Ambulance Surgeon Clarence W. Barrow 11/27/1905 (MVC)*
6. 1905 St John’s LIC Ambulance Driver John Wallace 8/19/05 (Pneumonia)
7. Bellevue Hospital Ambulance Attendant Thomas Kress 11/14/1916 (MVC)
8. Red Cross Motor Corps Ambulance Driver Margaret Deneve, 10/24/1918 (Spanish Flu)+
9. Women’s Motor Corps of America Ambulance Driver Mrs Charles Meyer, 02/13/1919 (MVC-trolley)+
10. 1919 LICH Ambulance Attendant John Leddy, 07/29/1919 (MVC)
11. Bellevue Hospital Ambulance Surgeon Roger W. Ogburn, 7/24/1927 (MVC)+
12. Harbor Hospital Ambulance Surgeon Harry T. Mesh, 03/13/1938 (MVC)*
13. St Vincent’s Staten Island Ambulance Surgeon Robert Morton, Jr 04/11/1938 (MVC)*
14. Reception Hospital Ambulance Driver Morris Linker, 08/24/1943 (MVC into water)*
15. Fort Hamilton Army Hospital Ambulance Driver John F. Houy, 08/13/1944 (MVC)+
16. ABC Ambulance Driver Abraham Millman, 12/25/1945 (Stabbed by EDP IFO Ambulance Hq Building)
17. Unity Hospital Ambulance Surgeon Nathan Rabison, 07/29/1946 (MVC-trolley)*
18. Methodist Hospital Ambulance Driver Peter J. Kelly, 02/06/1953 (CVA)+
19. Kings County Hospital Ambulance Attendant Hannah Callahan, 12/03/1954 (GSW)*
20. Glendale VAC Ambulance Attendant Frank Libraro, 08/23/1975 (MVC into building)*
21. Astoria Volunteer Ambulance EMT David T. Hoover, 12/9/1985 (MVC into subway support)*
22. NYC*EMS EMS Lieutenant Kirby McElhern, 04/25/1987 (MI)
23. NYC*EMS EMT Christopher Prescott, 06/17/1994 (MVC/homicide)*
24. James Lawrence Little Neck-Douglaston Voluneer Ambulance Corps, 6/9/1996
24. NYC*EMS EMT Tracy Allen Lee, 09/24/1997 (AIDS)*
26. FDNY EMS Lieutenant Barbara Poppo, 1/21/2001 (MI)*
27. Midwood Ambulance Company Paramedic Gaylette Drummond, 07/13/2001 (MVC into subway support)*

Killed on 9/11/01, while working in their regular role as an EMT or Paramedic, as a NYC 911 Provider….(see below for 9/11 deaths among those licensed but working another job, 9/11 deaths of non-affiliated or non-NYC EMTs or paramedics, and post-9/11 related deaths of EMTs and paramedics)….
28. NY Presbyterian Hospital EMS Paramedic Keith Fairben
29. FDNY EMS Paramedic Carlos Lillo
30. Montefiore Medical Center EMS Paramedic Yamel Merino
31. Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps EMT Richard Pearlman (Mutual Aid Response System)
32. FDNY EMS Paramedic Ricardo Quinn
33. NY Presbyterian Hospital EMS Paramedic Mario Santoro
34. Hunter Ambulance EMS Mark Schwartz (Mutual Aid Response System)
35. Cabrini Medical Center EMS EMT Marc Sullins

36. FDNY EMT Andre Lahens, 04/18/2002 (MVC)*
37. FDNY EMS Lieutenant Brendan Pearson, 04/23/2006 (Injury with complications of surgery)*
38. Staten Island University Hospital Paramedic David Restuccio, 08/27/2012 (MVC)*
39. FDNY EMT Yadira Arroyo, 03/16/2017 (MVC/homicide)+

COVID ERA….
40. NYU Langone Hospital Paramedic Joseph Braganza, 2/26/20
41. FDNY EMT Idris Bey, 4/21/20
42. Ambulanz Paramedic Paul Cary, 4/30/20 (National Ambulance Task Force detailed to NYC)
43. FDNY EMT Greg Hodge, 4/13/20
44. Hatzolah of Queens PA Yakkov Meltzer, 3/24/20
45. FDNY EMT John Mondello, 4/24/20
46. Maimonides Hospital Ambulance Dispatcher Marlene Picone, 4/23/20
47. FDNY EMT John Redd, 4/21/20
48. Staten Island University Hospital Paramedic/RN Brian Saddler, 5/8/20
49. FDNY EMT Richard Seaberry, 4/27/20
50. Lutheran Hospital Paramedic Tony Thomas, 4/12/20
51. FDNY Mechanic James Villecco, 4/26/20

52. FDNY Mechanic Thomas Ward, 4/27/20
53. FDNY Paramedic Rene Sanchez 9/16/20
54. Brookdale Hospital EMT Donnell Ben-Levy Ford, 11/20/20 (9/11-related death)
55. FDNY EMT Evelyn Ford, 12/22/2020

Here’s a PARTIAL 9/11 list of EMTs and Paramedics killed on 9/11 who were at their non-EMS job, or were not a NYC-based responder, or died as a result of 9/11 illness after 9/11:
Maurice Barry EMT PAPD/ Rutherford, NJ Amb Corp
Brian Belcher EMT FDNY FF
Bob Cirri Paramedic PAPD
Roisin Coohill EMT Midwood Ambulance
James Coyle EMT FDNY FF
John D’Allara EMT NYPD
Vincent Danz EMT NYPD
Andre Fletcher EMT FDNY FF
Rodney Gillis EMT NYPD ESU
Lauren Grandcolas EMT No Affiliation
Linda Gronlund EMT No Affiliation
Joe Henry EMT FDNY FF
Felix Hernandez Paramedic FDNY EMS
George Howard Paramedic PAPD
Stephen Huczko EMT PAPD
Karl Joseph EMT FDNY FF
Je Jung EMT No Affiliation
Thomas Jurgens EMT No Affiliation
Michael Kiefer EMT FDNY FF
Charles Laurencin Paramedic US Air Force
David Lemange Paramedic PAPD
Joe Lovero EMT Jersey City FD
Cynthia Mahoney EMT No Affiliation
Kathy Mazza Paramedic PAPD
Ryan McCormick EMT UMDNJ EMS
Jean Peterson EMT Madison Ambulance Squad
Kevin Pfeifer Paramedic FDNY FF
Richard Rodriguez EMT PAPD
Jeff Simpson EMT Dumfries, VA Triangle Resc Sqd
John Skala Paramedic PAPD/ Clifton, NJ
Frank Spinelli EMT Short Hill, NJ VAC
Daniel Stewart Paramedic FDNY EMS
Kenneth Swenson EMT Chatham Emerg Squad
Sean Tallon EMT FDNY FF
Clive Thompson EMT Summit, NJ VAC
Hector Tirado EMT FDNY FF
Mitchel Wallace EMT Bayside Volunteer
Glenn Winuk EMT Jericho Fire Department
Zhe Zeng EMT Rochester, NY Brighton Amb

Here’s the LODD Death list from the NYS BEMS Memorial and the National EMS Memorial-almost all of these are 9/11-related illness deaths….

Timothy Patrick Keller FDNY EMS June 23, 2005 

Deborah Reeve FDNY EMS March 15, 2006

Brian Ellicott FDNY EMS November 26, 2007

Clyde F Sealey FDNY EMS April 12, 2009

Carene A. Brown FDNY EMS December 22, 2009
Freddie Rosario FDNY EMS June 15, 2010

John McFarland FDNY EMS February 6, 2012

Anthony Ficara FDNY EMS June 15, 2012
Joseph V. Schiumo FDNY EMS December 9, 2012

Ruben Berrios FDNY EMS December 10, 2012

Tyrone Rogers FDNY EMS March 7, 2013

Douglas Mulholland FDNY EMS May 28, 2013

Rudy Havelka FDNY EMS July 9, 2013

Francis Charles FDNY EMS August 27, 2013

John W. Wyatt FDNY EMS September 24, 2013

Luis de Peña, Jr. FDNY EMS November 7, 2013
Michael Cavanagh FDNY EMS December 2, 2013

Linda Ohlsen FDNY EMS February 17, 2014

Walter J. Nelson FDNY May 2, 2014

William C. Olsen FDNY EMS June 1, 2014

Thomas V. Giammarino FDNY EMS October 7, 2014

Harold McNeil, FDNY EMS September 8, 2015

Norman Valle FDNY EMS January 6, 2016

Edith Torres FDNY EMS February 8, 2017
Rose Scott FDNY EMS February 15, 2017

Mario Bastidas FDNY EMS April 1, 2017
Mark Harris FDNY EMS May 13, 2017

Michael G. Guttenberg, DO Northwell Health Center for EMS October 17, 2017

Joeddy E. Friszell FDNY March 5, 2018

William Ryan, Bay Community VAC, August 19, 2018

Martha Stewart FDNY November 18, 2018
Joseph A. Rodriguez FDNY November 23, 2018
Felipe A. Torre FDNY October 10, 2018

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