FDNY Team Takes Third in International EMS Competition

(L to R) EMT Joe Fortis, Paramedic Joe Hudak and EMS Lt. James Fallar holding a flag that flew at the World Trade Center site in Prague, Czech Republic.

A team of three FDNY competition all-stars - EMS Lt. James Fallar, Paramedic Joe Hudak and EMT Joe Fortis - took third place in an international EMS Competition that pitted them against 90 countries from around the world.

The competition in Prague, Czech Republic, included 13 different scenarios that started at 8:30 a.m. on May 30 and ran through 4:30 a.m. the following day.

The challenges included handling a suicidal man, repelling down the side of a building to perform CPR and helping someone suffering a heart attack.

“It was definitely challenging,” said EMT Fortis, who added that it rained and snowed the entire time they competed. “They were trying to fatigue us to see how we would do.”

The team did extraordinarily well, coming third behind teams from Florida and Slovenia. And the FDNY members received fiber-optic lights, radios and other equipment for their win.

They are now gearing up for another international challenge a little closer to home - Utica, NY - this July.