Members of the Tri-Community Advanced Life Support System, which includes Croton Emergency Medical Services, the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department and the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps, stopped by Phelps Memorial Hospital Center recently to thank Phelps for the two new “fly cars” the hospital donated to the system. At right, pictured in front of one of the new fly cars are, standing, left to right: Emil Nigro, MD, Director, Department of Phelps Emergency Medicine; Nick Franzoso, Captain, Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps; Keith Safian, Phelps President & CEO; Bill McCabe, Captain, Croton Emergency Medical Services; Beth Sanger, Paramedic Supervisor, Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps; Kevin Hunt, Captain, Briarcliff Ambulance. Bottom row, left to right – all of Croton Emergency Medical Services: Eli Parker, Volunteer; George Crown, EMT; and Jake Dinkler, EMT.A fly car is a rapid response Emergency Medical Services vehicle featuring advanced life support equipment that usually arrives at the scene of a medical emergency before the ambulance. According to Emil Nigro, MD, Director of Emergency Medicine at Phelps, the fly car, which is staffed with a paramedic and sometimes an EMT, “brings the ER to the patient.” A paramedic can provide lifesaving modalities on the scene of a medical emergency, including IV fluids, cardiac interventions and medication, and advanced airways (intubations). The speed of a fly car can significantly impact outcomes in life-threatening emergencies. “Many lives have been helped and quite a few saved because of fly cars,” says Dr. Nigro.
Years ago Phelps formed a partnership with the villages of Croton-On-Hudson and Briarcliff Manor and the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps, which staffs and manages the Tri-Community ALS system. Phelps has donated a total of six fly cars since 1995. The money donated for the vehicles comes from a special fund created to support ambulance services.
“The partnership that the Tri-Community ALS system has with Phelps continues to allow the residents of Croton-on-Hudson, Briarcliff Manor and Ossining to have high-quality advanced life support at a reasonable cost,” says Nick Franzoso, captain of the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Phelps Memorial Hospital Center is a 238-bed acute care community hospital in Sleepy Hollow with more than 1,700 employees and 500 medical staff members representing 60 medical specialties. Phelps offers one of the broadest ranges of community hospital services in Westchester. Patients benefit from distinguished physicians, many of whom are pioneers in their field, offering the most advanced procedures using the latest technology. www.phelpshospital.org. Phelps’ multispecialty medical group, Phelps Medical Associates, has 14 practice locations on campus and in the surrounding communities. www.phelpsmedicalassociates.org.
