PAX Centurion - January / February 2014

Page 32 • PAX CENTURION • January/February 2014 617-989-BPPA (2772) From Homeless on page 31 Please help the homeless old paperwork. Now, with the lease allowed to expire, the building is a body shop. A-17 now sits in Roslindale Square, on the side of the road. In an ironic twist, EMS crews have been warned by manage- ment not to idle their units, as it is bad for the new engine systems, and creates diesel dust, and other toxins which are bad for the crew, and the environment. How are they supposed to keep the pa- tient compartment comfortable, particularly for the elderly? How are these crews supposed to keep themselves warm in the winter, or cool in the summer? And in a further irony, how are they sup- posed to keep their use of sick hours down if they have to sit out in the cold all winter? I ask anyone reading this, would you want to work under those conditions? Even if you owned the comfiest of cars, which I assure you the ambulances are NOT, would you want to sit in it all day? How do you think your back would feel? Now factor in bad weather. Blistering heat, or freezing cold, you are out there. Stuck. Banished. Like a leper. I have been mocked for bringing this up as a problem. Loudly. Saltier EMTs of years-gone-by have scoffed at me, saying that they never had stations (or much of anything else) when EMS started up in its “modern form” in the mid 1970’s. I guess I’m a weenie. They are apparently proud of this legacy. Enduring decades of bad work- ing conditions is a point of pride for them, as are their bad backs, heart conditions, and personality disorders, I suppose. I think they are fools, and should be ashamed of themselves for not pushing for better conditions back then (which probably could have been real- ized much easier than today). Didn’t anyone ever think EMS was going to grow? Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it) most Boston EMS units are so busy, that getting back to the station to use the bathroom, change your shirt, or eat a sandwich is a rare occurrence anyways. On slower days, these ‘station less’ crews are sometimes spotted sitting at a Dunkin’Donuts having a coffee, or reading the paper, just to get out of the ambulance for a few minutes. I have heard ignorant people in line mutter: “Look at those lazy EMTs.” I wonder if that would change if these people knew they had nowhere else to go. Many people are quick to say what a great job Boston EMS does. Indeed, in the first days of December 2013, Ambulance 5, currently shackled to the corner at Holy Name Circle, saved nearly 60 people from Carbon Monoxide poisoning at the Edelweiss Assisted Living Center inWest Roxbury. The EMT’s detected the poisoned air, began an evacuation, and laid the foundation for managing a mass-casualty incident, that thankfully did not evolve. The crew was lauded for their efforts, and even received a rare interview on the news. I wonder what the reaction of the news people would have been if they knew these hard working EMTs didn’t even rate a couch to sit on from their bosses. Or heat, for that matter. And the perceived reaction from the Boston EMS administration? “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great JobA-5, now go back to your street corner where you belong. And bundle up tonight, It’s supposed to be in the teens.” So, in order to benefit these poor souls working thanklessly with- out even so much as a roof over their heads, I have established a do- nation box at A-14. Please donate any department outerwear, gloves, hats, and the like. Items will be distributed to ambulance crews in need. Thank you for your kind support. Eire Pub 795 Adams Street Dorchester, MA 02124 Salutes the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association Declaration of Homestead Protect your residence! If you own a home, call us today to find out how you can protect your property up to $500,000.00 Don Green Law Office of Donald E. Green (A full service law firm) 2235 Washington Street Roxbury, MA 02119 (617) 442-0050 toll free (877) DON-GREEN As we have over the past 30 years, we offer a discounted fee to police officers Don Green Annette Hill Green