Ambulance For Roosevelt Island Patient Waiting On Raised Roosevelt Island Bridge During UN Week As Sailboat Passes Underneath
Roosevelt Island Bridge Being Raised Yesterday For Sailboat To PassDue to the United Nations General Assembly being in session, once again security precautions require East River boat traffic to use the East Channel when approaching Roosevelt Island. This forces the Roosevelt Island Bridge to be raised so that tall boats can pass underneath. When the Bridge gets raised, traffic is backed up and cannot enter or leave Roosevelt Island until the Bridge returns to it's normal position.
In most cases this is just a small inconvenience, but for emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire, and police vehicles servicing Roosevelt Island, it can be a real safety issue. This is an annual problem for Roosevelt Island during UN General Assembly week and was reported on last year as well:
A Roosevelt Island resident sent a message expressing concern that the health and safety needs of Roosevelt Islanders are being neglected by the raising of the Roosevelt Island Bridge for non - essential boat traffic during the UN General Assembly Meeting currently being held. She was fearful that emergency vehicles such as ambulances and FDNY trucks would be delayed traveling to and from Roosevelt Island resulting in a tragedy due to the Roosevelt Island Bridge not being accessible during these openings....Here's what happened early last evening.
At approximately 5:30 -40 PM, I noticed that the Roosevelt Island Bridge was in the Up position as a sailboat went underneath as shown in the picture at top and below.
Sailboat Passing Raised Roosevelt Island Bridge Yesterday EveningThere was an FDNY ambulance waiting on the Queens side of the Bridge waiting to cross while the Bridge was in the Up position. I do not know how long the ambulance was waiting.
When the bridge came back down the Ambulance raced across the bridge with sirens on, made a left at the bottom
Ambulance Going South On Main Street
I saw a Public Safety Officer in front of the building and asked him if he knew how long the Ambulance was delayed because of the the Bridge being in the open position. The officer did not know and I did not see the Ambulance personnel to ask them.
Later that evening I sent an email to Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. (RIOC) VP of Operations Fernando Martinez and Public Safety Director Keith Guerra describing what I saw and asked:
... Do you know how long, if at all, the Ambulance was delayed because of the RI Bridge Opening and if this had any effect on the resident who called the Ambulance? If you don't know, how can we find out?Mr. Guerra responded:
As you know, Roosevelt Island residents have been concerned that emergency vehicles might be delayed because of the Bridge Opening during the UN General Assembly Week.
I was able to ascertain that the person who called the ambulance had been experiencing chest congestion. They were unaffected by any delay the ambulance may have experienced because of the bridge. Follow-up revealed that the person was ok before, during and after transport.I replied:
Thanks for the follow up. I am glad that the person is OK.Mr. Guerra:
But do we know how long the Ambulance was delayed because of the Bridge being raised?
A longer than normal response time by the Ambulance because of the Bridge being raised could have ended much differently.
I agree. I do not have that information. Sorry.Here's another perspective, that from Sailblogs, a recreational boater:
... The weather was incredible today! We had a bit of stress coming in because NYC police had closed off the section of river near the UN building. We were redirected to the other side of Roosevelt Island. Unfortunately, this side had a draw bridge that hadn't gotten the word yet. There were 4 boats circling around in some pretty strong current at Hell Gate waiting for either permission to go to the other side of the island or for the bridge to raise. Luckily, the bridge came up before anything bad happened...
4 comments :
Well, I knew that Mr. Guerra was a man of many talents, but he is not a doctor or an emt or otherwise medically qualified to know if someone having chest congestion, chest pains or anything else requiring a 911 call was OK while waiting because the 36th Avenue bridge was up.
This BS during the UN session that watercraft large and small cannot use the west channel and go under the 59th street bridge is totally ridiculous -- and enabled by our federal, state and local authorities.
Someone will have a heart attack or a stroke and 911 will be called and that person will likely die or suffer great harm because of this silliness. Perhaps Mr. Guerra would like to reconsider his statement.
Screw the UN and the Crap they put this city through and they never accomplish anything during this entire week, they put this city under more of a threat, they endanger lives- for what- for having the President of Iran speak to them!!!
Enough already- get out- go to the Sahara, where the mostly snooty "Diplomats" wouldn't have such a great American City to live in and also get housing allowances to live on Roosevelt Island.
disgusted.....
Why are the boats not redirected to the Hudson River ? There is nothing along the shores of R.Island that they cannot get to by going the long rout.
First poster - if you can read you will see that Director Guerras response was as follows:
"Follow-up revealed that the person was ok before, during and after transport."
the main part of his quote being FOLLOW UP, which means he most likely made phone calls.
seriously anonymous, seriously.....
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