Aquatic EMS??

NysEms2117

NysEms2117

ex-Parole officer/EMT
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Does this exist. Just asking in leu of the train crash in New Jersey, where it may make sense to have a transport EMS crew by boat to zip across the hudson avoid traffic and get into a Level 1 center (NY pres maybe?). Just wondering general thoughts. I realize this would be an extremely specialized group, with very few practical uses, but maybe to be activated in emergencies or MCI's? Potential use for the CG?
 
NysEms2117 said:
Does this exist. Just asking in leu of the train crash in New Jersey, where it may make sense to have a transport EMS crew by boat to zip across the hudson avoid traffic and get into a Level 1 center (NY pres maybe?). Just wondering general thoughts. I realize this would be an extremely specialized group, with very few practical uses, but maybe to be activated in emergencies or MCI's? Potential use for the CG?
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Why specialized? Grab bags, get in boat. If I can treat them in the back of a UTV, a boat seems reasonable. Many of the FDNY boats (not just the big ones) have a stretcher or place for a backboard.
 
Poor wording on my part, I did not mean specialized in the sense of like Flight Medics, i just meant specialized in the sense that they would not be commonly used. My bad :) @Tigger
 
NysEms2117 said:
Does this exist. Just asking in leu of the train crash in New Jersey, where it may make sense to have a transport EMS crew by boat to zip across the hudson avoid traffic and get into a Level 1 center (NY pres maybe?). Just wondering general thoughts. I realize this would be an extremely specialized group, with very few practical uses, but maybe to be activated in emergencies or MCI's? Potential use for the CG?
Click to expand...
Volunteer squads that train in water rescue aren't totally uncommon and they find occasional use in scenarios where people drive their cars into the rivers around here.
 
We had a marine unit in my service for a number of years. A single medic was deployed on PD's boat. Was a great opportunity for the medics, they ended up getting sent off for their coxswain's course and some other certifications, but when the unit was reviewed they realized that they weren't actually doing very many medical calls and those they were doing involved minimal interventions. The unit was discontinued about 5 years ago.

These days if there's a call on the water where PD hasn't pulled the Pt out and brought them to shore (like an active SAR or ice rescue) one of our SRU medics will hop on the boat w/ PD. They carry immersion suits in their personal kit.

Toronto and Ottawa both have Paramedics working on the Police Marine Unit as well but I'm not familiar with how they're deployed since Toronto is on a major lake whereas Ottawa has just the river and canals. I think the viability of any marine presence for EMS is entirely dependent on the unique geography of an area.
 
Much as I hate to cite my favorite magazine for celebrity gossip, JEMS did have some fair coverage of FDNY's EMS on the water. From the USCG, you can infer they staff EMTs (and sometimes higher level clinicians) on their vessels from this.
 
Are you looking for something like amphibious medics? amphibiousmedics.com. They do special event medical staffing (BLS) and often require rescue diver, lifeguard, or swift water rescue. The other option is county lifeguard programs on like the ocean or large body of water. Many times they require EMT or Medic.

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River Medical (AMR) in Lake Havasu staffs an SO boat with EMS crews during the summer from what I have heard.
 
Having transported patients in a Water Taxi on several occasions, I wouldn't ever choose that method if another option were available, especially with a sick patient. Its loud, the boat is bouncy, good luck trying to perform any skills ... I can barely get a finger stick for a blood sugar most days on the boat ...
 
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