Schuyler Ambulances help in the city

SCHUYLER COUNTY—The recent blizzard that hit New York City caused a major strain on their ambulance resources. The State Department of Health, under the State Mutual Aid Plan, sent out a request for help Approximately 15 basic life support (BLS) ambulances and five advanced life support (ALS) units answered the plea. Two of the ALS vehicles were from Schuyler County, leaving Tuesday night along with two paramedics and two volunteer EMTs.

The Schuyler County men, Donnie DuVall, Brian Payne, Jeremy Pierce and Scott Cicci, were assigned to the Bronx. With a local EMT riding with them to help navigate, the men had a choice of three of the 62 hospitals located in the city.

Although Donnie DuVall and Brian Payne have both been paramedics for 10 years, it was the first time in New York City and, not sure of what to expect, they were surprised to learn the calls took approximately the same amount of response time and the same distance traveled as the calls in upstate New York. The two ambulance teams answered approximately 12 calls of the more than 3,500 made citywide during their twelve hour shift.

Back at home, DuVall stated, “What impressed me was how grateful they were, shaking our hands, thanking us. That meant a lot.”