TILLSON — Troop 17 of the Rip Van Winkle Council of Scouting America, learned about safety and first-aid skills recently at an event with Empress Emergency Medical Services at The Rosendale/Tillson American Legion Post 1219.
With the help of Operations Manager Captain Robert Szeli and Deputy Chief Joe Bilotto, Empress secured donations of medical supplies to support the two-hour event, including adhesive bandages, gauze, adhesive tape, alcohol prep pads, latex gloves, cravats and cold packs, so scouts could practice various first-aid procedures.
Operations Manager Lieutenant Jason Conway also brought an ambulance to create an interactive Touch-a-Truck experience for the scouts.
There were five educational stations:
Ambulance and 911 Safety: Conway spoke with the scouts about ambulance operations, emergency response and when to call 911 and answered questions.
First Aid — Cuts and Scrapes: Scouts learned how to properly clean wounds and stop bleeding.
Safety Awareness Activity: A modified version of “Red Light, Green Light” helped children identify when to alert a parent about a potentially unsafe situation.
First-Aid Kit Building: Scouts assembled their own first-aid kits while learning about the importance of each item.
Managing Stress and Emotions: The final station focused on coping strategies for handling intense emotions in challenging situations.
Empress staff members who also participated included EMT Amanda Hitchcock, who planned the event and presented at the first-aid and safety stations along with EMTs Katrina Smith and Aiden McMillan.
“This event was a fantastic opportunity to educate scouts on essential safety and first-aid practices while fostering a connection between Empress EMS and the community,” said Hitchcock.
Scoutmaster Frank D. Ruffini of Pack 17 thanked Empress for holding the event, writing, “Thank you for donating your time, energy and supplies to provide a top-notch first-aid training to our scouts.”
About Empress EMS
Since its inception in 1985, Empress has made a firm commitment to emergency medical services and quality after-care transportation with a focus on providing state-of-the-art patient care in a personal and compassionate manner. Its unparalleled reputation in Westchester and the Hudson Valley demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. Empress provides 911 emergency medical services to the City of Yonkers as well as mutual-aid response to neighboring communities. It also has emergency and non-emergency service contracts throughout Westchester County and the Hudson Valley with many municipalities, hospitals, correctional institutions, and private care. For more information about Empress, visit empressems.com.
About PatientCare EMS Solutions
PatientCare EMS Solutions is a leading provider of ground-based 911 emergency ambulance services and other critical healthcare logistics solutions. With corporate offices in Tyler, TX, and Atlanta, GA, the company operates growing partnerships with representative customers in Florida, Texas, South Dakota, and New York. PatientCare is responsible for transporting more than 400,000 patients annually and is committed to providing compassionate quality care and service built around the needs of the patients and communities in which it serves. For more information about PatientCare, visit the website at patientcareems.com.
