City swears in new paramedics

The city’s eight new paramedics were joined at a swearing-in ceremony by Local 287 President Bill Piazza, Fire Chief RJ Tucillo, City Council President Len Torres, Council Vice President Fran Adelson, F.D. Commanding Officer Anthony Fallon, Fire Commissioner Scott Kemins, and City Manager Jack Schnirman.

Courtesy City of Long Beach

City Manager Jack Schnirman swore in the new paramedics last week.

Anthony Rifilato/Herald

• 
• 

“I guess it’s all about setting roots for us now, because we’re the first women here, and doing our job well and taking care of the wonderful people here in Long Beach,” said Frances Rivera, 40, one of the city’s eight new paramedics.

Rivera, of Wheatley Heights, previously worked as a paramedic for 10 years at North Shore LIJ and is among three women who became the first female members of the career Fire Department last week.

The new paramedics were welcomed at a swearing-in ceremony at City Hall last Friday, and are part of the administration’s effort to restructure the Fire Department.

The new recruits, each hired at a starting salary of $41,600, began operating the department’s primary ambulance last Saturday, working in 12-hour shifts, 24 hours a day.

“We know that you’re going to make us proud and save a lot of lives,” said Councilman Anthony Eramo. “As you know, we are in the middle of a restructuring, and it’s going to be a little tough at first. But we know you’re going to do a great job.”

The paramedics were hired following a review of the city’s emergency services by the International City/County Management Association’s Center for Public Safety Management, a Washington, D.C.-based firm the city hired last year to conduct a review of its emergency services in the wake of the Long Beach Medical Center’s closure.

The Fire Department has three ambulances, and South Nassau Communities Hospital debuted two new paramedic-run ambulances last week that are now responding as mutual aid backup to EMS calls on the barrier island as part of a new agreement with the city.

The volunteers and career firefighters, meanwhile, would operate the other two ambulances based on need and available manpower, officials said.

“[The paramedics] are going to be centrally located the majority of the time within Long Beach, probably from Lafayette to Monroe boulevards,” said Fire Commissioner Scott Kemins. “They will be pre-deployed at certain events, like concerts on the beach. We want them visible and want the public to know they’re out there.”