Reprinted with permission from The Roslyn News

When officials at the Roslyn Rescue Fire Company began planning for the start of an ambulance service in the early part of 1991, an important financial challenge was before them. An ambulance and the requisite lifesaving equipment were not in the annual budget of the all-volunteer fire company.

"We searched the used equipment dealers and found a used ambulance and cardiac monitor/defibrillator, and were fortunate to have a neighboring fire department donate some old supplies," recalled ex-Captain Frank Califano, a former commanding officer of the fire company's emergency medical service, who worked on the committee to form the service more than 15 years ago. "We wanted the community to have a fire department-based EMS program to supplement the ambulance service being provided by the Nassau County Police Department and we already had the trained personnel - we just needed the ambulance and equipment," he added.

Today, that fledgling service has grown in all directions. In the last decade, EMS personnel from Roslyn Rescue have combined forces with their firefighting partners at the Roslyn Highlands Fire Company, and personnel from both groups now man two advanced life support ambulances and four first responder units, known in fire service parlance as "fly cars" because they ferry paramedics and EMT's to the scene of medical emergencies and typically arrive in advance of the ambulance to begin provided care. Responses are up considerably since 1991, as the strain on the 911 EMS system has intensified, according to Capt. Jon Sendach, a department spokesperson.

While much has changed, the need for capital equipment and the challenges of funding it remain a constant concern for fire company administrators. Thanks to generous support from the Alvin and Dorothy Schwartz Foundation, Roslyn EMS last month took delivery of three new cardiac monitors/defibrillators, and 15 new automated external defibrillators (AED's), as well as a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe equipped as a first responder unit.

The Alvin and Dorothy Schwartz Foundation has been a longtime benefactor of Roslyn Rescue and was formed by the parents of former Roslyn Rescue emergency medical technician, Jane Stein. An earlier donation by the foundation in 2004 helped fund a replacement ambulance and cardiac monitor, and in recognition of her ongoing support to Roslyn Rescue, the department bestowed on Mrs. Stein the rank of honorary EMS chief at a dedication ceremony for the new ambulance that spring.

"This equipment is extremely advanced and will allow our paramedics and EMT's to provide the highest level of emergency care to the public," said Roslyn Rescue EMS Capt. Adam Levy, a career paramedic who currently heads the department's emergency medical service, following a recent in-service training on the new equipment. Capt. Levy pointed out that this equipment replaces cardiac monitors and defibrillators on fire trucks and ambulances, as well as other department vehicles, that were about seven years old, and that the department researched and secured favorable trade-in values on the old equipment.

The new responder unit received a warm welcome as well.

"From an operational and logistics perspective, we rely heavily on the responder units to cover a large response area," explained Lt. Sam Williams, an EMS supervisor who headed the group that specified and designed the new responder unit. "The new truck replaces one that was over 10 years old and was really getting tired," he added. The Roslyn Fire Protection District includes coverage of parts of 10 municipalities, and is among the largest such territories in Nassau County in terms of square miles covered.

Following a recent training on the new equipment with firefighters and EMS personnel, an elated Capt. Levy simply grinned. "I am really impressed with the kind of technology we are putting in the hands of our emergency responders, and we couldn't be more grateful to the Alvin and Dorothy Schwartz Foundation," he said.

A mass casualty incident [MCI] occurred on the campus of C.W. Post one recent rain-misty morning. A bus rolled on its side in a campus parking lot trapping a number of students inside the vehicle as well as tossing others onto the tarmac. Fortunately, it was just a training drill where local fire departments, emergency medical services and federal and county programs responded. Additionally, one local hospital became the recipient for the injured and in that way, they too, practiced their skills and tested their disaster plan.


On November 8, 2008, area ambulances responded from C.W. Post, Roslyn Rescue, Roslyn Highlands, Port Washington, Sea Cliff and the City of Glen Cove to the Brookville campus. In addition to the emergency medical services, the Roslyn Highlands and Roslyn Rescue fire departments assisted with scene safety and extrication of victims. Also participating were members from the Nassau County Department of Health’s Medical Reserve Corps as well as volunteers from FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team [CERT]. The emergency department at North Shore-LIJ at Glen Cove was the final destination for the victims of this mock drill.


In preparation for the drill, Pierce County Day Camp donated a full-sized yellow bus which was towed to the college, in advance of the drill, and turned on its side. Immediately before the incident, CERT volunteers applied moulage [injury simulation material] to numerous C.W. Post student-volunteers as well as other volunteers. The victims were given instructions as to their roles and injuries and were strategically placed at the scene to await rescue.


First on the scene were members of C.W. Post’s public safety who sent out the MCI alarm. Roslyn Rescue arrived and set up the incident command center that organized the participants and coordinated communication between the various services. A triage team then went from victim to victim to assess each of the passenger’s injuries. Victims on the bus were extricated and all of the injured were moved to a pre-hospital treatment staging area in the parking lot. Twenty-six injured victims required immediate care and were loaded onto ambulances and transported to the emergency department of North Shore-LIJ Glen Cove for continued diagnosis and treatment. After the critically injured were transported, nine victims, with non-critical injuries, were transported by van to the hospital. The scene of the disaster was cleared of all the victims within an hour.


The purpose of the drill was to simulate a mass incident in order to practice and hone skills that are necessary in a chaotic and confusing environment. This very important mock disaster would not have been possible without volunteers who organized the event, the many student volunteers who showed up to play their roles and the volunteers from the various departments and organizations that participated during the event.
Many thanks are extended to all who participated and a special thank you to C.W. Post for hosting the drill again this year. To our role-playing victims, thanks for coming out for us instead of sleeping in…we couldn’t have done it without you!


Most of the organizations that participated in this event are staffed by volunteers and are always interested in adding to their ranks. For further information about becoming a Roslyn EMT or firefighter email emsinfo@roslynrescue.org and next year you too can participate in the mass casualty incident.

The officers and members of Rescue Hook & Ladder Co. #1 wish the entire community a prosperous and healthy new year. Homeowners are reminded during this winter season to keep fire hydrants clear of snow buildup. If you have a fire hydrant on your property, please remember to clear the snow around it at the same time that you remove snow from your driveway and walkways. Snow cover can make hydrants hard to locate in an emergency and can delay access to vital water supply in the event of a fire. Stay tuned for more news from us soon....