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Just this past New Year’s Eve, a night normally reserved for celebration, Max recalls speeding down the highway in an ambulance, all the while taking deep breaths as he and his partner prepared for what they knew was going to be a life or death situation. A vehicle traveling at 80mph had slid on a patch of ice, spun and rolled across three lanes of traffic, collided with the guard rail, and then proceeded to travel 70 feet in the air before hittinng a patch of trees head on. As Max counted down the miles left to go, already through the radio screamed the words, “EXPEDITE, EXPEDITE, two patients are in traumatic arrest!” When he arrived at the scene, Max saw a sea of emergency vehicles surrounding the crash site and, putting all his emotions aside, knew it was time to work.
Since January 2008, Max and Brad have worked for the Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corps, commonly referred to as EVAC. An EVAC team that responds to an emergency call is comprised of a driver, a paramedic, and an EMT. Both seniors are now certified EMTs and ambulance drivers. During night shifts, on average, the group will receive three calls but during the day they could receive anywhere from eight to eighteen. Each works two to three shifts a week. This week alone, Max will work two twelve-hour shifts in addition to a shift that starts on Friday at three pm and ends on Saturday at five pm.
Before Max and Brad joined EVAC, the last Bronxville student to work for the organization was Max’s older brother, Dave Goldberg, a member of the class of 2002. When asked if this family connection inspired him to join EVAC, Max replied “Certainly. I’ve always been interested in helping others so following in my brother’s footsteps made sense.” Brad became interested in the EMS system through a family friend who worked for EVAC. At first, these two high school friends did not realize the other’s intention of joining and only found out after each had already signed up.
To gain their certifications, the young men attended three-hour classes two nights a week at Westchester Community College during a three-month period. There they learned all the necessary information about cardiac, neurological, respiratory, and other emergencies. Brad adds, “We even learned how to deliver a baby, although I hope I'll never have to do that in the field.” At the completion of these classes, the two had to take a certification test that was comprised of a one-hundred-twenty multiple choice test and ten unique hands-on stations. These stations included the performing of a medical assessment, CPR, and mobilization, the process of moving a victim from the scene of the accident. Although they already had some experience from serving EVAC as “ride-alongs” (volunteers who help with bandaging and learn from first hand observation), after passing the test Max and Brad were finally able to perform the duties they had anticipated.
Surely this is not a job for the weak of heart. When asked about how nervous he was when starting out, Max commented, “Oh, definitely. I bugged out at first with all the screaming and stuff like that. But, over time, you get over your anxieties and remain focused on the task at hand.” Brad elaborated, “Calmness and confidence on the job has definitely come with experience.”
In spite of the hardships that come with this line of work, Max and Brad have enjoyed their experiences immensely. They have bonded with their co-EVAC members and feel that their efforts are making a real difference. Brad concluded, “Everything we do in the field is very serious, but when the job is over it’s important to forget about it and move on with your own life, knowing that you've done a great job in taking care of someone else's.”
