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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 409-12
November 9, 2012

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES MEDICAL TEAMS WILL PROVIDE DOOR TO DOOR MEDICAL CARE IN BROOKLYN AND QUEENS BEGINNING TOMORROW

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced today that beginning tomorrow morning at 8 AM, ambulances will be deployed to Far Rockaway and Coney Island with a team consisting of a paramedic and member of the National Guard.  Health Department staff will also be participating in the deployment to help identify needs for clean-up efforts.  The New York City Health Department is coordinating the effort with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HSS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Guard to conduct medical assessments and provide assistance to residents in high-rise buildings who may be in need.

 The teams will go door-to-door in tall residential buildings from 8 AM to 8 PM to visit residents to make sure that their medical needs are being met, conduct a medical assessment to determine if residents are safe, and connect residents to prescription medications. If the paramedic determines that a resident has immediate acute medical needs, the resident will be taken to a field clinic or a hospital for additional care. The teams will be focused on assessing the wellbeing of residents who have not been able to leave their apartments and who may have been without water, electricity and heat.

 The Mayor's Office has been organizing teams of volunteers to conduct door-to-door checks on residents in the most affected areas.  Numerous non-profits, including Catholic Charities, Harlem Children's Zone, United Way, Human Services Council, New York Cares, Metropolitan Council on Jewish poverty, and the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies have been participating in these efforts.  Approximately 1,200 volunteers have reached up to 2,000 people each day to check on residents, deliver meals, and assist with clean-up.

 The City is requesting that building management and landlords in Far Rockaways and Coney Island make their sites available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm through Monday so that the teams can access residents in the buildings.  If the building management cannot have someone at the building at these times, they are asked to please call the Health Department at 917-231-6066 or email highrisebuilding@health.nyc.gov to provide a contact name and number so you can be called to let the team into the building.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Marc La Vorgna/Samantha Levine   (212) 788-2958



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