Ambulance Vol Packing Up His Gear

[Richard B the EMT]

From the Queens Tribune, a free county newspaper from Queens County, New York City, New York, dated June 22, 2007:

http://www.queenstribune.com/news/1182538754.html

Ambulance Vol Packing Up His Gear

FHVAC President Dave Solomon is headed for Oregon following retirement.

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By JULIET WERNER

Dave Solomon, 55, has spent the past 18 years moving up the ladder at the Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The active President, Solomon came to the Corps in 1989 as a Vietnam War veteran with experience in First Aid and CPR. He successfully completed the EMT course and now teaches a similar course to those residents of Forest Hills and Rego Park who would like to follow in his footsteps.

“You have to have the stomach for it,” Solomon said, adding that he can normally tell right away if a student is cut out for the work, but will allow them three months to ease into the challenging tasks. He says his students are ready for the ambulance or “bus” when he can turn his back on a situation, confident that they will take the initiative to help the person in need.

Solomon has this type of trust with Mike Rizzo, his partner of 15 years. Rizzo, or “Pops,” met Solomon in Queens through their work with the Boy and Cub Scouts. They attend career days at high schools together, delivering joint speeches and showing students around their shared ambulance.

“It’s gotta have to be a marriage,” Rizzo said. “Each one of us has to learn to think like the other person thinks, without asking questions, knowing exactly where the equipment is, what you need on the scene. And that takes time.” But with Solomon, the partnership formed easily.

“Couple months,” Rizzo said. “It was excessively short.”

Rizzo is especially sentimental these days because his longtime partner will retire this month from the FHVAC. On the evening of June 27 the American Legion Post 1424 of Forest Hills will swear in new officers and make a presentation in Solomon’s honor.

Solomon’s dedication to the FHVAC is unmatched, his bravery remarkable. He played a role in 13 separate “life saves,” meaning that he brought 13 people back from the dead. Solomon’s efforts were tireless. He worked night shifts, frequently going straight to his paid day-job following ten hours in the ambulance.

This exhausting schedule will be drawing to a close this summer when Solomon retires from his Con Edison job of 36 years.

“Time is moving slow now,” Solomon confessed. “I’ve got 49 days left, but who’s counting?”

Once the 49 days are over, Solomon and his wife Linda will drive across the country with their pit bull and move into a new house in Albany, Ore. that they purchased sight unseen. Linda, a native Oregonian, met Solomon in New York and also works as an EMT at the FHVAC.

Accustomed to living in Queens and working under tight time constraints Solomon is preparing to adjust to a new lifestyle.

“It’s going to be laid back out there,” he said. “They do not have volunteers out there and I refuse to take money to help somebody.”

Rizzo has no doubt that the West Coast will welcome his former partner with open arms.

“I’m sure with all his knowledge and experience he’ll work himself into something,” Rizzo said, adding that he plans to continue on as an EMT for “as long as god keeps giving [him] the strength to do what [he’s] doing.”

Although he’ll miss his partner, he knows he doesn’t have much say in the matter. At this point their separation is inevitable.

“I’m not gonna go to Oregon,” Rizzo quipped.

[Dustdevil]

Whacking into the sunset.

I've known a lot of guys in Oregon EMS. They're a serious bunch.

They'll lynch this guy within a year.

[Doczilla]

:laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3:

[EMT857]

Interesting, I used to live in Forest Hills and still visit family there very now and then. I always though FDNY ran everything there now. I know years back (parent's grew up there) there was primarily volunteer service.

[JackFoster]

I think there are volunteer ambulances in NYC too, aren't there?

[FormerEMSLT297]

There a dozens and dozens of Volunteer Ambulance companies in NYC along with several Vol FD's,, but NYC 9-1-1 will only turf out calls to the vollies in very rare cases, when the system is in backlog.. a lot on NYC Vollies get there calls direct from patients who live in their service area.. The Central Park Medical Unit is really the only volunteer unit that routinely handles 9-1-1 calls,, mostly sports injuries and bike accidents in the park ... they operatr off of the NYPD Radio and work weekends, and on special events, like concerts ...

[spenac]

From the Queens Tribune, a free county newspaper from Queens County, New York City, New York, dated June 22, 2007:

http://www.queenstribune.com/news/1182538754.html

“It’s going to be laid back out there,” he said. “They do not have volunteers out there and I refuse to take money to help somebody.”

I nominate that as the stupidest comment of the current decade.

Fine you want to volunteer. I disagree with that choice. But you say you want to help people why not accept a check and donate the money if you really don't want it. This helps many people. First the patients you treat. Then the many that benefit from the charity you support. If you made $1000 a month and donated it all you could feed more than 33 kids a month based on one charitys ads. Wow you could really put your money where your mouth is and prove you actually do what you do because you love to help people.

Maybe this is what all volleys should do. At least then them giving away their paychecks would not affect my paycheck the way giving services away for free does.

[scott33]

Yeah, it was a bit of a silly comment. I have absolutely no problem with "taking money to help people". I have no doubt he will be happy to collect his LOSAP money.

Thankfully, the jolly volly is a dying breed in the NYC area, and I am hopeful the trend will spread East to Montauk, at least within my lifetime. :roll:

[Dustdevil]

The funny thing is, this guy really thinks he was helping somebody!

[Mateo_1387]

Well, at least he has a good dog. I absolutely love Pit Bulls, but that is all he has going for him in my book. :wink: