NYC-ARECS Emergency Medical Services

Introduction to NYC-ARECS EMS

Mission

The Mission of NYC-ARECS Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is to make available a partnership of an emergency medical provider with an emergency radio communicator at Public Service events that NYC-ARECS participates in. All emergency medical providers are volunteers, and must be trained and certified (at least) in first aid and basic life support/CPR, but emergency medical technicians are preferred.

History

NYC-ARECS developed this EMS division in 2013, as the newest component to the organization. There was a need for EMTs and First Responders to be available at many Public Service events that the organization assists with. Their mission is to supplement local jurisdictional EMS at events, where they are authorized to operate at their certified level of training during an emergency. By working as a volunteer, they gain priceless, real-world knowledge about medical and trauma, pre-hospital, patient care, and working together as a team.

Volunteering serves the public and the community, all the while it
is also a great way to build a resume and maintain skills.

Implementation

NYC-ARECS primary mission is to provide communications during emergencies, but during the year, the organization also provides supplemental communications to both large and small events throughout New York. This includes several events such as walk-a-thons and bike-a-thons, some which are over 100 miles long and stretch across all five boroughs or even out of state. Radio operators are either stationed in one position or placed in a chase car that is continually on the move. Being able to partner an EMT or First Responder with a radio operator-is a force multiplier and a 'win-win' for both the hosting agency and for the injured participant/member of the public.

Leadership (NYC-ARECS is supervised by an elected Board of Directors.)

EMS Coordinator: NYC-ARECS Emergency Medical Services is supervised by Mr. Shelomo Alfassa, who has been with NYC-ARECS for three years, and has served as its Public Information Officer for the last two. Mr. Alfassa is an Emergency Medical Technician. He has been continuously certified for 24 years and has worked in BLS and ALS positions both in the field and in the hospital setting. He has participated in the training of hundreds of EMTs and Paramedics, and is an educator on the effects of chem/bio weapons. As a sworn federal employee, he was the Founding Executive Officer of the Central U.S. National Medical Response Team for Weapons of Mass Destruction (NMRTWMD), an asset of the USPHS Office of Emergency Preparedness (of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health), deployable to national venues where terrorism was a threat. Prior to that, Mr. Alfassa served on two National Disaster Medical System DMAT teams (in California & Colorado), and currently serves in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Physician Advisor: A physician advisor is in the process of being selected and will be announced shortly.

 

 

 

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