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TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- Even though Tarrytown is geographically small on the map, emergency medical technician Brett Roberts fields more 911 calls than you might think.
This is likely for a few reasons, according to the 15-year member of the Tarrytown Volunteer Ambulance Corps. He said his department responds to car crashes on parts of the Tappan Zee Bridge and Route 9, as well as water-related issues on the Hudson River. Tarrytown is also a fly-over zone for nearby terminals like Westchester Airport in White Plains.
Its a unique area from an EMS standpoint because we deal with all types of traumas, Roberts said.
That well-rounded experience has helped Roberts though, as an Emergency Medical Technician instructor at Phelps Memorial Hospital Centers Center for Emergency Education. There, he teaches those who are already certified and need a refresher course as well as citizens who want to be better prepared for safety emergencies.
I enjoy teaching and its a great environment, Roberts said. I get to teach both EMS providers and lay rescuers such as teachers from a school or folks from a day-care facility.
When he isnt instructing or supervising the Tarrytown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Roberts is a tactical medic who assists the Tarrytown Police Department in elevated-threat scenarios.
If you have a gunman holding somebody hostage, that becomes an elevated threat, so I would provide medical support to the police as necessary in that case, Roberts said.
When he is ready to retire from the Tarrytown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Roberts said he is looking forward to teaching the next generation of EMS personnel. He is also certified by the American Heart Association to teach CPR.
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