While a torrential downpour crippled the rest of New York City on Wednesday, August 8th, two Jamaica Hospital EMTs decided not to let a mere four feet of water prevent them from carrying out a Queens water rescue of sorts.
At approximately 9:00 am. EMT's Robert McAuley and Natasha Brown responded to a 911 call of a woman in obstetrical distress. When they arrived at the scene they found the street completely flooded. Cars on the block were submerged and a previous ambulance unit had become disabled while trying to respond. After a call for assistance yielded no response, the crew decided to take matters into their own hands.
Quick thinking and a little ingenuity resulted in EMT McAuley and his partner commandeering a kayak from a local resident who assisted the crew. With no previous kayaking experience, they were able to navigate to the woman’s house, and with the help of neighbors, bring her back to the ambulance where she was then taken to the nearest receiving hospital.
The crews dramatic and different morning was reported citywide on Channel 7 (WABC), NY 1, and also covered the next day in the Daily News and the Newsday.
In the end, this experience, while unique, is just another example of the great lengths the thousands of employees that work for the MediSys Health Network will go to ensure superior care for our patients.
