MedicCook
07-09-2008, 06:40 PM
Colonie, State Police to end air rescue partnership
COLONIE -- Town paramedics are pulling out of a prestigious, 15-year partnership with State Police to staff helicopter rescue missions throughout the Capital Region.
On Sept. 1, Colonie will end its relationship with the Lifeguard Air Rescue Program out of concerns about the cost, liability and the safety of its paramedics as well as a desire to refocus their efforts, Supervisor Paula Mahan.
"We feel this is the best decision for our residents here in Colonie," Mahan said. "We need to service them."
The paramedics were notified Monday, prompting a skeptical response from their union that suggested the loss of the Colonie crews would be a loss to the entire region.
"They're angry. They don't see the logic in it," said Gary Favro, a labor relations specialist with the United Public Service Employees Union, which represents about 60 members of the EMS Department. "We're getting together to see how we're going to respond to it."
Since 1993, members of Colonie's Emergency Medical Services Department have flown with State Police air crews in a 75-mile radius out of Albany International Airport to perform rescues and fly the most critical patients to hospitals. The program is one of five statewide.
While the crews were not assigned solely to helicopter missions, they were on call when needed. They seldom responded to emergencies in Colonie because of the town's proximity to Albany Medical Center Hospital, but the airport's location at the center of the town made Colonie a natural partner.
The program has historically generated revenue for Colonie -- roughly $150,000 annually after expenses -- while giving the paramedics experience with patients they otherwise wouldn't get, according to the department's annual report.
Favro, a retired Troy fire captain, said that's part of what doesn't make sense to the union: In a town strapped for cash, why ax a program that makes money?
But Mahan said the program is very expensive to run and that the economics of it are complex when you factor in things like the the time those paramedics spend away from the town and the impact that may have on service inside Colonie.
"As far as whether the program is profitable," she said. "I think there's more work that has to go into to that to determine that."
In recent years, crews have responded to several local disasters, including the collapse of the dam on Hadlock Pond in Fort Ann and the sinking of the Ethan Allen tour boat on Lake George.
Last year, EMS Chief Jon Politis and two fellow paramedics received letters of commendation from then-Acting State Police Superintendent Preston L. Felton for helping rescue a critically injured boy at Greene County's Kaaterskill Falls.
The agreement with State Police involves no exchange of money. But the town EMS Department is allowed to bill for medical services provided aboard the helicopter.
Over the next seven weeks, State Police will seek a replacement for the Colonie paramedics "in order to minimize any disruption in the providing of Medevac services," said Sgt. Kern Swoboda, an agency spokesman.
"I don't know of anybody locally that can fill that gap," Favro said, citing the special training and equipment required, as well as the short timeline.
Politis, the chief, pledged to do what he can to enable a smooth transition. "Our paramedics that have been involved in the program have been very committed to it," he said. "I've watched our staff for the last 15 years with great pride. ... We're sad to see it go, but also, we have those experiences."
Last year, the town's roughly 18 flight-trained paramedics responded with State Police to 108 medical emergencies, eight search-and-rescues and were put on standby 212 times.
Maj. Kenneth Rogers, director of the State Police Aviation Unit, praised Politis' dedication to the program and cited the untold number of lives it has saved.
"It's much appreciated by the State Police what he's done for us and what the town of Colonie has done for us," Rogers said. "He's been a tremendous ally of the State Police. Not only the State Police but the EMS system in the Capital Region."
Jordan Carleo-Evangelist can be reached at 454-5445 or by e-mail at jcarleo-evangelist@ timesunion.com.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=702337
COLONIE -- Town paramedics are pulling out of a prestigious, 15-year partnership with State Police to staff helicopter rescue missions throughout the Capital Region.
On Sept. 1, Colonie will end its relationship with the Lifeguard Air Rescue Program out of concerns about the cost, liability and the safety of its paramedics as well as a desire to refocus their efforts, Supervisor Paula Mahan.
"We feel this is the best decision for our residents here in Colonie," Mahan said. "We need to service them."
The paramedics were notified Monday, prompting a skeptical response from their union that suggested the loss of the Colonie crews would be a loss to the entire region.
"They're angry. They don't see the logic in it," said Gary Favro, a labor relations specialist with the United Public Service Employees Union, which represents about 60 members of the EMS Department. "We're getting together to see how we're going to respond to it."
Since 1993, members of Colonie's Emergency Medical Services Department have flown with State Police air crews in a 75-mile radius out of Albany International Airport to perform rescues and fly the most critical patients to hospitals. The program is one of five statewide.
While the crews were not assigned solely to helicopter missions, they were on call when needed. They seldom responded to emergencies in Colonie because of the town's proximity to Albany Medical Center Hospital, but the airport's location at the center of the town made Colonie a natural partner.
The program has historically generated revenue for Colonie -- roughly $150,000 annually after expenses -- while giving the paramedics experience with patients they otherwise wouldn't get, according to the department's annual report.
Favro, a retired Troy fire captain, said that's part of what doesn't make sense to the union: In a town strapped for cash, why ax a program that makes money?
But Mahan said the program is very expensive to run and that the economics of it are complex when you factor in things like the the time those paramedics spend away from the town and the impact that may have on service inside Colonie.
"As far as whether the program is profitable," she said. "I think there's more work that has to go into to that to determine that."
In recent years, crews have responded to several local disasters, including the collapse of the dam on Hadlock Pond in Fort Ann and the sinking of the Ethan Allen tour boat on Lake George.
Last year, EMS Chief Jon Politis and two fellow paramedics received letters of commendation from then-Acting State Police Superintendent Preston L. Felton for helping rescue a critically injured boy at Greene County's Kaaterskill Falls.
The agreement with State Police involves no exchange of money. But the town EMS Department is allowed to bill for medical services provided aboard the helicopter.
Over the next seven weeks, State Police will seek a replacement for the Colonie paramedics "in order to minimize any disruption in the providing of Medevac services," said Sgt. Kern Swoboda, an agency spokesman.
"I don't know of anybody locally that can fill that gap," Favro said, citing the special training and equipment required, as well as the short timeline.
Politis, the chief, pledged to do what he can to enable a smooth transition. "Our paramedics that have been involved in the program have been very committed to it," he said. "I've watched our staff for the last 15 years with great pride. ... We're sad to see it go, but also, we have those experiences."
Last year, the town's roughly 18 flight-trained paramedics responded with State Police to 108 medical emergencies, eight search-and-rescues and were put on standby 212 times.
Maj. Kenneth Rogers, director of the State Police Aviation Unit, praised Politis' dedication to the program and cited the untold number of lives it has saved.
"It's much appreciated by the State Police what he's done for us and what the town of Colonie has done for us," Rogers said. "He's been a tremendous ally of the State Police. Not only the State Police but the EMS system in the Capital Region."
Jordan Carleo-Evangelist can be reached at 454-5445 or by e-mail at jcarleo-evangelist@ timesunion.com.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=702337