As New Yorkers, we are all familiar with the harsh effects of winter months. And we’re typically equipped to roll with the punches. However, when our city was hit with a severe winter storm on Sunday, heavy rains and freezing temperatures caused black ice conditions with troubling consequences.
With numerous pile-ups and crashes throughout the city, NYC EMS required the help of over 30 crews from Nassau and Westchester counties and New Jersey to assist in their efforts; this still was not enough.
That morning, from about 8 am until 10 am, there was reportedly a backlog of 600 emergency calls. At 2:30 pm, 200 calls were still on hold. Despite significant planning and training, mishaps can still be expected to occur. You’ve heard this from the AHA before, but it bears repeating, it’s important that we focus on increasing the number of people who are ready to act when an emergency strikes and calling 911 is not enough. In these situations, every minute matters, and bystander intervention saves lives. Through the CPR in Schools policy, we can ensure that our students have the tools necessary to keep a victim alive until help arrives, regardless of the weather conditions. By supporting the implementation of this policy, you are allowing our city’s students to stop being witnesses and start becoming life-savers.
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