Jack Pintchik Medal

William C. Tier was appointed to EMS on June 15, 1987. Assigned to EMS Battalion 31. He is the recipient of 20 pre-hospital saves and two other citations. He resides in Brentwood, Long Island, with his wife, Ann.

Aisha Bauman was appointed to EMS on November 22, 1993. Assigned to EMS Battalion 31. She attended Brooklyn College. She resides in Boreum Hill, Brooklyn.

One of the first things learned in the EMS Academy is "don’t take the call type too literally." Don’t be surprised if your "cardiac arrest" victim is waiting for you in the lobby with her bags packed or if the fractured finger call turns out to be a person seizing or in respiratory arrest. EMS personnel are taught to expect the unexpected and that no two calls ever will be the same. On September 28, 1997, Paramedic William Tier was approaching the end of his tour when he and his partner received a call to back up a basic crew that had been flagged down for a motor vehicle accident on Columbia Street and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn--a location he knew all too well. In his time in the area, he had seen many an accident on that corner, but none approaching what he was about to encounter. Upon their arrival at the scene, Paramedic Tier and his partner were amazed at what they saw. They realized that this call would be anything but routine. A van, traveling at a high rate of speed, had lost control and crashed through a fence surrounding a parking lot that was 15 feet below grade. The van teetered precariously, threatening the safety of the occupant, as well as EMT Aisha Bauman, who had entered the vehicle to treat the seriously injured driver. A second stable patient had self-extricated and was being treated by the partners of EMT Bauman and Paramedic Tier. The only thing holding the vehicle up when Paramedic Tier entered was the remains of a chain-link fence. Each move caused the unstable van to rock menacingly. "One wrong move and it would have gone over the edge, with us in it," said Paramedic Tier. "We had to be real careful." The driver, a 30-year-old male, was in serious condition and needed to be extricated immediately. "Even though he was confused and in bad shape, I think he realized the seriousness of his predicament," said EMT Bauman. The duo worked feverishly to rapidly immobilize and extricate the dazed and injured driver, while taking every precaution not to shake the already wobbling van. Once the patient was immobilized, they skillfully removed him to the street where they re-assessed his injuries and placed him on oxygen. Due to the time of day and the availability of a trauma center, the team transported the patient to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan, where he was admitted and treated for a head injury, chest trauma and other multiple trauma. EMT Bauman and Paramedic Tier acted with the highest degree of dedication and professionalism. For acting with great determination and for bravery in the face of danger, they are awarded the Jack Pintchik Medal for 1997.--DB