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March 1, 2016
The 2014/2015 Ebola epidemic, which is thought to have started in Guinea in March of 2014, affected several West African countries and infected more than 28,500 people, with nearly 11,500 of those dying, to date. This Ebola epidemic (the 26th outbreak in history) has been the […]
March 1, 2016
In the summer of 2014, there wasn’t much information available in the United States regarding the proper doffing and equipment decontamination procedures for handling patients potentially infected with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Subsequent to the cross contamination and exposure of a registered nurse who treated […]
March 1, 2016
In August 2014, months before FDNY successfully transported its first Ebola patient, it was my responsibility as FDNY’s Chief Medical Officer and Special Advisor to the Fire Commissioner on Health Policy, to provide the Department with advice on what was needed to safely respond to, stabilize […]
February 22, 2016
Having just wrapped up one of the most successful years in our Department’s history (and a milestone year—our 150th anniversary!), we should all be proud of our accomplishments in 2015. From new record high responses, to declining fire deaths, to successful community outreach and public safety […]
December 1, 2015
It is 0300 hours on the coldest winter night you can remember and you are taking up from a multiple alarm. You are a conscientious, professional Firefighter and you have no plans to leave the fire scene until the barrel of the hydrant is pumped out […]
December 1, 2015
Battery technology initially can be attributed to the Italian inventor Alessandro Volta (1745-1827). In the 1800s, he designed an assembly consisting of plates of two different metals, such as zinc and copper, positioned in stacks separated by paper soaked in brine or vinegar. Volta’s battery was […]
December 1, 2015
Use of the NST female to FDNY male adapter Problem: The pressure gauge or 21⁄2-inch hose does not thread onto the standpipe outlet. Reason: The FDNY uses its own thread specification for its hose couplings. Many other fire departments have their own thread specifications. National Standard […]
December 1, 2015
Size-up starts at the receipt of the alarm, but for this exercise, size-up starts when you examine the accompanying photo below. It is a frozen moment in time and you are the Safety Officer assigned. Your goal is to ensure the safety of all members operating […]
December 1, 2015
On April 4, 1956, a tragic front wall collapse occurred at Bronx Box 44-2904, located at 4085 Third Avenue, between East 174th and 175th Streets. Three members of Engine 48, two members of Ladder 44 and one Chief’s Aide–who was assigned to Assistant Chief Antonio Petronelli–were […]
December 1, 2015
Rescue 1 members arrived at 121 2nd Avenue and observed that a collapse had occurred and heavy smoke and fire were pushing from a five-story old law tenement (OLT). Rescue 1 reported in to Battalion Chief Edward Tierney, Battalion 6, and was put to work. A […]
October 4, 2016
September 11, 2001, marks one of the darkest days in the history of both our nation and the FDNY. In addition to the 343 Department members who were killed on this day, this terror incident represents the largest attack ever made on the American homeland and […]
October 4, 2016
Fifteen years ago, the largest and most unexpected emergency response event in the modern history of New York City forever changed the world in which we live. After losing 343 members of the FDNY family on 9/11, the Department was forever changed, rebuilt out of the […]
October 4, 2016
EMTs, Paramedics and Firefighters are part of a service that is unlike any other. The successful outcome of a situation is not the result of an individual’s actions, but rather the actions and cooperation of a team. Perhaps nowhere else outside of the military does this […]
October 4, 2016
At the time, I thought I would remember every single thing about the response and recovery effort at the World Trade Center. But now, 15 years later, as I look back to that period for this issue of Pro EMS, I suddenly realized that I can’t […]
October 4, 2016
In 1999, as part of the preparation for the anticipated larger than usual Millennium New Year’s Eve gathering in Times Square and the possibility of City-wide Y2K computer and system failures, the City purchased several Gator carts from the John Deere Co. These six-wheel, diesel-powered, off-road […]
October 4, 2016
The FDNY is one of the nation’s premier emergency service agencies. The Department’s procedures and protocols influence practices throughout the country. Major emergencies in the City are observed and studied throughout the emergency management industry. However, the most critical factor in determining the success of a […]
October 4, 2016
FDNY Emergency Medical Service personnel are at constant risk for injury and exposure to chemical and biological hazardous materials due to the nature and scope of the assignments to which they respond. Properly using the personal protective equipment (PPE), in conjunction with Body Substance Isolation (BSI), […]
October 4, 2016
Rescuers on a lifesaving mission must be able to perform their duties with the highest level of determination and professionalism on every call. How, then, can emergency medical professionals better prepare for their careers, given the traumatic circumstances they inevitably will encounter? Trauma is an emotional […]