Bellmore-Merrick EMS has been very busy answering calls and lending a helping hand in response to Hurricane Sandy.
Since Sunday at 11 p.m., an Emergency Operation Center (EOS) was established at their headquarters (corner of Grand Avenue and Newbridge Road in Bellmore). They’ve been on call 24 hours per day since then.
“We’ve sent crews to help throughout multiple areas in Nassau County, including evacuations in Hewlett and Long Beach during the disaster,” Assistant Chief Scott Resnik said. “We’ve also been on availability alert with FEMA and OEM.”
Locally, Bellmore-Merrick EMS has responded to 12 alarms over the past 2 ½ days in which people needed to be transported to local hospitals, ranging from severe lacerations to cardiac-related issues, a couple of which were critical. Others that require oxygen required assistance because the lack of power cut off their access to the oxygen they needed.
There was also the issue of access, which was tough for Bellmore-Merrick EMS.
“Not having the high-axle vehicles that the fire services have made it tough for us to get to patients,” Resnik said.
The command center is expected to remain open throughout the weekend, which is when the situation will be reassessed. Chief Christopher Benes and Resnik are running the command center, while Lieutenant Claudette Heide has been the officer in charge.
All of the workers at Bellmore-Merrick EMS are volunteers. If you have an emergency, and you’d like the Bellmore-Merrick EMS to respond, you can call their emergency line at 516-742-3300.
What do you think of the work Bellmore-Merrick EMS has done during the storm? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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