FDNY Members Volunteer to Teach Emergency Safety Day
Twenty paramedics, EMTs and firefighters descended upon PS 177 on July 23, but they were not there to tend to an injured student or extinguish a dangerous fire.
In fact, there was no emergency at all.
The FDNY members were there as volunteers for Emergency Safety Day, a fun-filled educational event designed to teach blind, visually-impaired, deaf or hearing-impaired children what to do in case of a medical or fire emergency.
“This was something we needed to do,” said EMS Lt. Maria Garcia of Station 20, the event organizer who also serves as President of Parents of Blind Children of New York. “This population of children was being overlooked.”
More than 150 children visited five educational stations during the all-day event in Fresh Meadows, Queens. They learned about the work of paramedics, EMTs and firefighters and the equipment they use; toured an ambulance, fire truck and an EMS Major Emergency Response Vehicle; practiced fire evacuation techniques in the FDNY’s Fire Safety House; and learned what to do when there was any emergency in their home - including how to call 9-1-1.
The event was the brainchild of Lt. Garcia, a 17-year veteran of the EMS Command, who said she realized her 12-year-old, legally-blind daughter, Elora, had never been taught what to do in an emergency.
After launching similar classes in other states and cities, Lt. Garcia integrated the Fire Safety Education program currently offered by the FDNY with health safety information to create the FDNY’s first Emergency Safety Day.
“Most people don’t put a lot of thought into how these kids can help in an emergency situation,” said EMS Lt. Lisa Freitag of Station 39, whose 20-month old daughter, Kailee Rose, is legally blind.
While fire units taught groups of children the difference between an engine and a ladder company, paramedics and EMTs taught them how to determine if someone is in need of medical assistance and how to get help.
“We’re trying to teach children about the kinds of vehicles we have and how to access the 9-1-1 system,” said Paramedic Dave Gell from the EMS Academy.
And it seems to be working.
“I learned how to check someone’s pulse by feeling their wrist,” said 12-year-old Emmanuel Armstrong from IS 448, demonstrating his new skill.
Chalique Lewis, 12, from IS 448 said his favorite part of the day was touring an ambulance and looking through an EMS medical bag.
Kynasia Russell, 14, also of IS 448 added: “In the case of an emergency I can call 9-1-1 now.”
Every FDNY member at the event was a volunteer, with many needing to go straight to work afterward.
Yet Paramedic Daniel Bellingham of Station 39, who has volunteered to teach CPR classes for blind adults in the past, said it was well worth the commitment.
“It is cool working with kids, you can teach them new things and they always have a great time,” he said smiling.
Lt. Garcia added, “We often find that our members get more out of this than the kids do.”