Having extensively covered the ongoing Vigilant ambulance controversy with some of the villages that has been simmering since 2011 while working for the other community newspaper, I would like to spell out why I think it is so important to continue to support this invaluable and dedicated mode of ambulance service.
It is important to know that the level of training, professionalism and certification level of the combination of paid and volunteer para-medics who comprise the Vigilant team equals anything that would be offered by the Northwell system.
However, the Vigilant service is, in my opinion, superior to anything Northwell could offer.
The Vigilants are skilled people who live here and know this town inside-out.
They know the short-cuts, the one-way streets, the dead-end streets and a whole network of folks who keep this town running — from the cops to the public works and public utility employees.
This knowledge, this network matters in emergencies.
In addition, because the EMTs are linked to the fire departments, both the Vigilant and the Alerts who service people north of the LIRR, they have resources that Northwell does not have.
I would like to remind residents that in December 2010, a blizzard hit the New York Metro area that took everyone by surprise for its intensity.
Ambulances in New York City were unable to reach people who needed emergency care due to snow clogged streets.
That didn’t happen in Great Neck.
When the Vigilant ambulance is called out in such conditions, they are accompanied by a Vigilant truck equipped with a plow so that if you have not had the time or help to clear your driveway or if your street has not been plowed, they can still reach you.
The fire company has also attracted volunteers who reflect the various cultures of the community.
Will Northwell have people onboard an ambulance who can either speak Farsi, Chinese or Spanish or easily access someone who can?
When the fire company gets a fire call, the ambulance is basically on standby and if there is a real fire in progress, the ambulance automatically rushes to the scene to supply aid, not only to residents, but also to the fire fighters.
Is Northwell going to do that?
There is a strange, but true phenomenon.
Emergency calls come in clusters for unrelated incidents. What will happen for the Northwell ambulance when that occurs?
The mutual aid that is in place now among all the emergency services will no longer be in place.
There will be some potential gaps in service that could be life-threatening.
Then there is the money issue.
Have you checked your insurance company lately to find out how much coverage you get for an ambulance ride?
And what constitutes an emergency according to your policy? Better read the fine print.
For a home appraised between $900,000 to $1,000,000, you pay in taxes about $100 a year for free and unlimited emergency ambulance calls.
I think that’s a pretty good deal.
Back in the 1930s, some forward-thinking residents of Great Neck got together and agreed that they were not getting the best ambulance service from Mineola.
They wanted to have ambulances at the ready, right here, staffed with trained people and that is why today the Vigilants have a two ambulances ready to go on Cuttermill Road and another one on Steamboat Road to get to us quickly. There are three main arteries coming into the peninsula and we all know how much worse the traffic has gotten since the ‘30s.
For all these years, we, as taxpayers, have invested in this service, purchasing equipment, supplies and training for staff. And now that investment would just dissolve?
I believe that we unravel the fabric of this community at our peril.
I think this situation clearly exemplifies a move toward a penny-wise and pound foolish mentality, and also tarnishes the reputation of a town always renowned for placing a high value on the quality of life — for all of us.
What I most love about local government is that when we, as residents, ask questions and speak up about critical, major decisions, our leaders have nowhere to hide.
Thanks to still having a democratic system of government, they have to listen. Time to speak up!
Carol Frank
Great Neck
