Heroes 2020: Attention NYSVARA Agencies

to NYSVARA Members and Member Agencies,

NYSVARA is working on a project to showcase NYS EMS and we want YOU to be a part of it.

We would like to invite you to send a few photos to us to be included in this project.

If you have any photos of your crews during COVID19 as well as pre-covid photos please send them to us at news@nysvara.org.

We ask for no more than 5 per agency (we will be choosing the ones for use). Photos should be submitted in a JPG format and must be received by 6/17/2020 to be included in this project.

 

Mobile Life Support Services Honors Co-founder

Mobile Life Support Services Honors Co-founder,

Rick Metzger, 20 Years After Passing
 

It has been 20 years since the death of Frederick “Rick” Metzger, co-founder of Mobile Life Support Services. Rick and his wife Gayle established the company in 1981, and it has grown from a four-person operation to the largest ambulance service in the Hudson Valley. Last week, Gayle and her Mobile Life family honored Rick with a video testimonial celebrating his life and legacy that lives on in the emergency medical services industry.

Rick started his EMS career in the 1960s and became one of the first ever NYS-certified Paramedics in 1971. He later helped to found the Hudson Valley Regional Emergency Services Council, on which he served in multiple roles, including president and treasurer. Rick also held the position of president for the New York State Ambulance Association. A man ahead of his own time and industry innovator, he practiced what would eventually become EMS policies and procedures. He was an educator and a true expert in his field. He was an industry titan, caring for those in need and paving the way for future EMS providers.

Mobile Life began almost 40 years ago in the City of Newburgh. Now, the company provides emergency services to communities and healthcare facilities throughout the region, including the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester. It operates a fleet of more than 70 emergency vehicles and employs approximately 500 emergency medical and office professionals.

“Rick’s dedication to emergency medical services and the creation of Mobile Life Support Services have touched countless lives. His impact reaches far beyond this company and into how emergency medicine is practiced in this region. He led by example as one of the most compassionate, intelligent and competent providers in the business. He’d be so proud of the continued fostering of the values and principles that were the foundation of our company as well as the education and training Mobile Life is able to provide – not just to its own staff, but also members of the community. All of these things are a reflection of our commitment to carry on his legacy by providing the highest quality of patient care to all who need it,” said Gayle Metzger, Mobile Life Owner and Chairman of the Board.

The company used its social media accounts to honor Rick on the 20^th anniversary of his passing with a video montage featuring firsthand accounts of Rick’s life and legacy.

“He was our founder, original leader and, to many, a mentor, father figure and friend. Although 20 years have gone by since his passing, those who knew him, loved him, and those who loved him will forever remember him as kind, brilliant, fair and dedicated to his craft. May we continue to honor him every day by providing care and comfort to those in need without bias or judgement, as he did,” read the accompanying Facebook post shared by Mobile Life.

The video included stories shared by Gayle and several past and present Mobile Life employees, each with their own emotional, funny, honest and very genuine tributes.

“I remember the day I met Rick Metzger in October of 1985. I was a brand-new paramedic, and I walked into Mobile Life’s one and only station on Bridge Street in Newburgh and got a chance to actually sit down with Rick and talk a little about EMS and how I would fit in with Mobile Life. There’s one thing about the man that I think everyone who knew him would speak of: He was a mentor, he was a leader, he was all those things you apply to those people who are so formative in your life. A truly amazing man,” said Scott Woebse, current Mobile Life President & CEO.

To view the memorial video, visit Mobile Life Support Services on their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube page. To learn more about Mobile Life, visit www.mobilelife.com. Individuals interested in employment opportunities with Mobile Life should visit the company’s website to submit an application or inquire about educational opportunities to become certified.

About Mobile Life Support Services, Inc.

Mobile Life Support Services, Inc. is a New York State Certified Advanced Life Support paramedic ambulance company that provides emergency services to communities and healthcare facilities throughout the Hudson Valley Region of New York State, including the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester. Founded in 1981 by Rick and Gayle Metzger, Mobile Life is composed of more than 500 EMS professionals across the region and operates a fleet of more than 60 ambulances and 26 stations. With a collective population of more than 1,000,000 residents, Mobile Life handles approximately 100,000 calls per year. For more information, visit www.mobilelife.com.

Mobile Life Support Services Offers Halloween Safety Tips

Trick-or-treating is a big part of Halloween fun. Dressing up in costumes, going door-to-door and receiving candy – all while enjoying a walk in the brisk autumn weather – is a favorite pastime for many, and an activity that several of the region’s children and adults look forward to each year. Mobile Life Support Services, the largest emergency medical provider in the Hudson Valley, shares tips to help keep trick-or-treaters safe this Halloween.

Costumes

• Make sure costumes are the correct size to prevent tripping. Ensure they are fire resistant and visible, even in dim-to-dark lighting.
• Select nontoxic face paint or makeup instead of masks that could cover the eyes and obstruct vision. Remove products before bed to avoid a rash or skin irritation.
• Have children carry flashlights or glow sticks to illuminate walking areas and alert drivers and other pedestrians.
• Put reflective tape or stickers on costumes and bags.
• Do not allow children to eat anything until it is inspected by a parent or guardian.

Walking

• Cross streets at the corners and use traffic signals and cross walks. Make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
• Don’t use electronic devices while walking. Keep your head up.
• Don’t dart into or run across streets.
• If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic and stay as close to the left as possible.
• Stay in groups and stay in lighted areas, whenever possible.
• Don’t enter a stranger’s home.
• Agree on a route and the time children should return home.

Driving

• Be especially alert in neighborhoods and know that trick-or-treaters can be unpredictable.
• Know that it is difficult to see children in dark clothing at twilight.
• Drive at a slower pace than normal, taking time to check for children on curbs and intersections.
• Keep distractions such as phones or food away so you can maintain all concentration on the road.
• Use headlights earlier than normal to see children at greater distances and so they can see the cars.
• Know the trick-or-treat hours in your community so you know when to drive especially cautiously.

Other safety considerations

• Consider decorating the pumpkin with markers or paint, rather than carving, and using battery-operated flameless candles rather than real candles that need to be lighted.
• Put away all tripping hazards in your yard to keep trick-or-treaters from falling.
• If you are sensitive to trick-or-treaters who may have food allergies, put a teal pumpkin out to show them that your home is food-allergen friendly. The movement is called the Teal Pumpkin Project.

“Halloween is a fun-filled night for many families,” said Mobile Life President and CEO Scott Woebse. “We just want everyone to stay safe and enjoy the season and their treats.”

To learn more about Mobile Life, visit www.mobilelife.com. Individuals interested in employment opportunities with Mobile Life should visit the company’s website to submit an application or inquire about educational opportunities to become certified.

About Mobile Life Support Services, Inc.

Mobile Life Support Services, Inc. is a New York State Certified Advanced Life Support paramedic ambulance company that provides emergency services to communities and healthcare facilities throughout the Hudson Valley Region of New York State, including the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester. Founded in 1981 by Rick and Gayle Metzger, Mobile Life is composed of more than 500 EMS professionals across the region and operates a fleet of more than 60 ambulances and 26 stations. With a collective population of more than 1,000,000 residents, Mobile Life handles approximately 100,000 calls per year. For more information, visit www.mobilelife.com.

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