Bethpage-Tribune_1994-09-09

              8ETHPAGE PUBLIC LI5RARY
Bethpage
A COPIES
.ID I
•
YOUR OFFICIAL HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER
Serving Bethpage, Island Trees, Plainedge, Seaford, Old Bethpage & Plainview
VOL. 27 NO. 36 ._, SEPTEMBER 9-15, 1994 25 CENTS
B.F.D. ADVANCED EMERGENCY CARE
NEW "MEDIC CAR" INSURES RAPID RESPONSE TO THOSE IN NEED
NORTHROP GRUMMAN RECEIVES
AIR FORGE CONTRACT
Los Angeles ~ Aug. 31, 1994 -
- Grumman Aerospace Corpora­tion,
a subsidiary of Northrop
Grumman Corporation, has been
awarded a contract from the U.S:
Air Force to develop a Contraband
Detection System (CDS) for the
detection of explosives and nar­cotics
in suitcases, briefcases,
mail pouches, and other man-portable
containers.
Under the contract, the
Advanced Energy group of Grum­man
Aerospace Corporation will
design, develop, fabricate and test
a CDS prototype for use by various
government agencies and private
industry. The system will employ
a proton beam to induce reson­ance
pheonomena within the
materials inside a container. The
system will analyze the resultant
data to detect contraband.
The contract includes two
phases. Phase I, valued at $1.5
million, involves system study and
design work. Under the $8 million,
optional Phase II, Grumman will
construct and evaluate a proto­type
CDS unit. The total contract
is for two years.
The Advanced Energy group is
located in Bethpage, New York.
Subcontractors to Grumman on
the program include TRIUMF, a
Vancouver-based consortium of
laboratories, and Scientific Inno­vations,
a Long Island consulting
firm.
Northrop Grumman Corpora­tion,
based in Los Angeles, is a
leading designer, systems integra­tor
and manufacturer of bomber,
fighter and surveillance aircraft, as
well as commercial and military
aerostructures, precision wea­pons,
electronic countermeasures
and information systems.
In an effort to improve the
delivery of emergency medical
care, the Bethpage Volunteer Fire
Department has been utilizing a
rapid response "Medic Car." This
vehicle is a 1987 Suburban which
once served as the Chiefs car.
This unit is now equipped with
advanced life support (ALS) gear,
including a portable defibrillator,
and is manned by a NY state
certified advanced emergency
medical technician or paramedic.
In addition to medical emergen­cies;,
the*'Medi^;;Gar'responds to
general alarm fires. The A.E.M.T.
can provide both first aid to fire­fighters
and assist in their "reha­bilitation"
after being exposed to
heat and fatigue.
The idea of a "quick response
unit" or "fly car" is not new. They
have been used in upstate New
York for many years and are
becoming popular on Long Island.
After several months of research,
Chief Anthony Mancini activated
the Medic Car in January, 1994.
According to Ex-Chief John Fitz-william.
who is also an AEMT,
"Recent studies have shown a very
strong link between survival rates
and rapid initiation of advanced
life support techniques. We are
also planning to use the Medic Car
in the area of multicasualty inci­dent
management."
The Fire Chiefs and department
EMS personnel believe that the
Medic Car project will have a very
positive impact on the quality of
care offered to the residents of
Bethpage. Several other improve­ments
are being contemplated.
The New York State Health
Department has recently permitted
basic Emergency Medical Techni­cians
(EMT) to defibrillate patients
using AUTOMATIC defibrillators.
Several EMTs from the Bethpage
Fire Department have completed
this training already and more will
be. up-grading to this level. Other
members will be up-grading their
skills from basic first aid/CPR to
NYS Certified First Responder
(CFR) which entails about 50-60
hours of training. All our
Advanced Emergency Medical
Technicians are receiving
advanced pediatric training; this is
.16 hours classroom and 24 hours
in the pediatric emergency room
at NCMC and Franklin Hospital
Medical Center.
If you, or someone you know,
would be interested in joining the
Bethpage Volunteer Fire Depart­ment,
contact the Recruitment
Unit, Bethpage FD HQ, 225 Broad­way
or call 931-2660. Membership
is open to any U.S. citizen, over
18 years old, in good health who
has been a resident of the Beth­page
Fire District for at least 6
months.