The Pulse Spring 2026 Internal

EMPRESS THE PULSE

SPRING 2026

ALWAYS PREPARING FOR THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER MOST

EMS WEEK: HONORS AND FESTIVITIES SAFETY IN THE FIELD CRITICAL FOR PROVIDERS AND PATIENTS

A PatientCare Company

BIKE RIDE TO BENEFIT NATIONAL EMS MEMORIAL SERVICE

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SPRING 2026

Welcome to The Pulse, Spring 2026!

As summer approaches and warmer temperatures take over, we’re busy with outreach events helping spread the word in the communities we serve about who we are and what we do. These range from presentations to students at school about how an ambulance is equipped, presenting awards to those who helped save lives, to drills simulating emergency situations.

In May, we celebrated EMS Week with a variety of fun activities for employees, including food trucks on site at our primary locations and a barbecue in Westchester. Staff members were honored for their exceptional work by the Putnam County EMS Council, the Dutchess County EMS Council, the Ulster County EMS Council and WREMSCO (Westchester Regional EMS Council).

The EMS Memorial Bike Ride was also held during EMS Week, with riders from Empress participating in the East Coast route that ran from Boston to Washington, DC.

They rode for many EMS providers who had passed away, including Paramedic Dick Harvey, who we featured in a previous issue.

In addition, Paramedic Bill Rothschild, a participant in the EMS Memorial Bike Ride, created a new event, the upcoming YoPough-Yo Bike Ride, which will have cyclists starting at our stations in Poughkeepsie and Yonkers on the Empire State Trail, and riding toward each other to meet in Brewster for lunch. The event will benefit the National EMS Memorial Service, held every year in July near Washington DC, which also includes a bike ride, called the Ride of Honor.

Fee to be matched 3 times For everyone who pays the $25 participation fee in the Yo-PoughYo bike ride, their contribution will be matched by Empress as well as the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics union (IAEP), both locally 20 and nationally. It promises to be a fun event serving a great cause.

Empress Fleet Director Kyle Stevens was recently a special guest at the For Paul Foundation’s Annual Hero’s Dinner and

Awards ceremony in Florida.

Last year, Stevens played a key role in Empress’s donation of an ambulance to the foundation, which supports aspiring first-responders and the families of first responders who have passed away in the line of duty.

Many employees reached important milestone anniversaries with the company, receiving the Daniel J. Minerva Founders Award recently in recognition of their service.

We also have some advice from QA/QI, IT and operations on best practices in a variety of areas, from reporting when things don’t go as expected to watching out for people calling and posing as IT staff, to proper PPE precautions in the wake of the hantavirus outbreak and safe driving practices to help keep everyone safe.

As always, please share any photos you get of employees in the community by emailing socialmedia@empressems.com or using the JotForm. Sharing this type of information gives our communities a window into what we do.

— Dugan Radwin Marketing & Communications Manager

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ON THE COVER An Empress ambulance and fly car were on the scene at a Mass Casualty Incident DWI drill held in New Rochelle recently.

These types of activities are held routine1

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ly throughout our coverage area to prepare for when a real incident happens to assure that everyone knows how to best respond.

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MCI DRILLS

Clockwise from top left: EMT Gregory Crosby, Lt. Kristina Rella, and EMT Garrett Carney pose in front of an ambulance during a Mass Casualty Incident DWI drill at New Rochelle High School; New Rochelle drill in progress; participants in Chester drill, including Empress staff, pose for a group photo; and EMT Corey Ferretti, Lt. Myquan Alston, EMT Molly Hoarty and EMT Lamaur Burks pose in front of an ambulance during a recent MCI DWI drill in Chester.

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SPRING 2026

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

Above: While posted in New Rochelle recently, Paramedic Brenda Valencia and EMT Mirsha Hernandez saw kids picking up garbage at New Rochelle High School and decided to help out.

Left: Empress staff participated in a recent Mamaroneck Avenue School Health/Safety Fair in White Plains, informing students about emergency medical services, patient care, and the specialized equipment utilized to save lives and safely transport patients during emergency situations.

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OUTREACH ACTIVITIES Right: Empress participated in a recent health fair hosted by Mount Vernon High School.

During the event, Lt. Omar Stout showcased the equipment utilized on the ambulance and provided students with insight into the operational aspects of the 911 emergency medical services system.

Left: Paramedic Mariah Franco and EMT Anna Miguel recently presided at a table at a Stroke Fair at St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers.

The event is now in its fourth year.

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SPRING 2026

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES Jim O’Connor, VP of Corporate Development for Empress, at left, presented three honorees with the Empress Lifesaving Award at the New Rochelle Police Department’s Annual Memorial and Awards Breakfast. Award recipients were Lt. Lawrence Bornholtz, Police Officer Tori Faber and Police Officer Kenneth McLean. At right is Police Commissioner Neil Reynolds.

Deputy Chief Sean O’Brien, front right, and Lt. Omar Stout, middle back, were at White Plains Hospital recently to discuss the development of a standardized EMS training curriculum for stroke recognition and routing to the appropriate hospitals.

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SPRING 2026

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EMS WEEK 2026

Putnam County EMS Council gives awards

From left are Paramedic Seth Butler, Paramedic Patrick Baia, Paramedic Daryn Baia, Ruben Castillo Jr., Paramedic Ruben Castillo, Paramedic Chris Casey, Paramedic Lauren Diamond, Paramedic Allison Gorski and Lt. Chris Aiello.

2025 PUTNAM COUNTY HONOREES ALS Provider of the Year: Paramedic Daryn Baia Excellence in Pre-hospital Care: Paramedic Allison Gorski, Paramedic Lauren Diamond, Paramedic Michael Blatus, Paramedic Seth Butler, Paramedic Jennifer McSorley, EMT John Schlusser IV, EMT Matthew Chan, Paramedic Jake Knibbs and Lt. Chris Aiello

Class B Lifesaving Award: Paramedic Ruben Castillo, Paramedic Christopher Casey, Paramedic Jennifer McSorley, EMT Matthew Chan, EMT John Schlusser IV and Daniel Fernandez Class A Lifesaving Award: Paramedic Eric Kennett, Paramedic Lisa Bendo and Paramedic Lauren Diamond

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SPRING 2026

EMS WEEK 2026

2 honored by Dutchess EMS Council for excellence in EMS education Awards presented for Mentor and Instructor of the Year

Kelly Kohler, EMT-P, CIC, and Mary McGhee, RN, EMT-P, CIC, were both honored at the Dutchess County EMS Awards recently: Kohler was named EMS Mentor, and McGhee was named EMS Educator of the Year.

Kohler is a critical-care paramedic from Poughkeepsie who works full-time at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown running the simulation lab.

She teaches in the EMS Program at Dutchess Community College and has worked for Empress EMS for over 10 years.

She is a national conference speaker, member of the NAEMT AMLS Committee, and author of the NAEMT GEMS course and the AMLS course. She has also been appointed to the Lighthouse Leadership Committee. She has won the iSimulate Excellence in Simulation Award as well as the NAEMT Education Service Award.

Kelly has her master of science in EMS from New York Medical 7

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Kelly Kohler, EMT-P, CIC, and Mary McGhee, RN, EMT-P,CIC, pose with their awards during the Dutchess County EMS Council’s 2026 Award Ceremony held recently in East Fishkill.

College and her IBSC Critical Care Paramedic Certification.

service. She is also an American

McGhee is a NYS-CIC, RN, an RN Paramedic and previous paramedic supervisor with Northern Dutchess Paramedics with over 12 years of

ACLS, PALS and BLS. She

Heart Association instructor for

recently graduated from nursing school and is currently an RN.

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EMS WEEK 2026

From left are, a representative from N.Y. State Senator Rob Rolison’s office, County Legislator Chris Drago, Dutchess County Emergency Services Commissioner Bill Beale, County Executive Sue Serino, award recipient Kelly Kohler, EMT-P, CIC; Jeff Cotter, Vice President of the Dutchess County EMS Council; Rob Matragrano, president of Dutchess County EMS Council; and Dawn Marie Klingler, Dutchess County EMS Council Secretary.

ULSTER COUNTY EMS AWARDS Life Saving Awards: Paramedic Gerrit Blauvelt Paramedic Abigail D’Aquisto EMT Crystal Santiago Paramedic Franciso Santos

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SPRING 2026

EMS WEEK 2026

Kimberly McCoy Fagan recognized for excellence in EMS Quality and Safety

Kimberly McCoy Fagan was honored with the Excellence in EMS Quality and Safety Award at the recent WREMSCO (Westchester Regional Emergency Medical Services Council) Awards.

The Quality Assurance and Safety Award is presented to an individual who demonstrates exceptional commitment to creating a safer environment, preventing hazards, and driving meaningful improvements for EMS personnel.

The honoree consistently exceeds expectations, serves as a role model, upholds a high level of accountability, and proactively identifies and addresses potential risks before they result in incidents which could possibly lead to injuries to all involved.

“I first met Kimberly Fagan in 2022 when I joined the QA office on light duty following a work-related injury. From the very beginning, Kimberly stood out as a dependable and highly knowledgeable resource someone everyone in the QA department could rely on,” Paramedic Steven Goodstein said. “Having worked for many years under the direction of Daryn Baia, she has built a strong foundation of skill, leadership, and professionalism.”

“Her training methods and techniques have been incredibly 9

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Above, Kimberly McCoy Fagan poses with her award plaque at the recent WREMSCO awards ceremony in Westchester.

‘Her training methods and techniques have been incredibly impactful, especially in mentoring and guiding EMT students as they develop in their careers.’

Paramedic Steven Goodstein on Kimberly McCoy Fagan

impactful, especially in mentoring and guiding EMT students as they develop in their careers,” Goldstein continued. “Her dedication, attention to detail,

and commitment to academic and operational excellence have made her an invaluable asset to the Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement Safety Program here at Empress EMS.

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EMS WEEK 2026

Robert Lunde honored as EMT of the Year EMT Robert Lunde was named EMT of the Year at the recent WREMSCO (Westchester Regional respect for others set the bar high EMS Council) in May. for others to replicate.”

“Bobby Lunde represents all that is good about being an EMT,” said Deputy Chief Sean O’Brien. “He has been the foundation of the EMS response in New Rochelle for longer than any other EMT assigned to the ambulance system for that city. He is a mentor to younger EMTs, and he is someone any smart paramedic would want for a partner. His maturity and

“He is respected by members of other EMS organizations as well as members of the New Rochelle Fire and Police Departments. If you find one person who has a bad word to say about Bobby Lunde, go buy a lottery ticket because you’ve found that one person!”

“Bobby is a great EMT and that is only surpassed by him being

a good human being and well deserving of this honor. I’ve worked with Bobby off and on for many years. He was always a preferred partner, especially on very difficult calls. You never had to worry if he was doing his job and doing it right. He carries his competence, confidence, and integrity with a calming sense of humility.”

“There is a phrase: ‘Paramedics save lives. EMTs save paramedics.’

Bobby is one of those EMTs.”

2025 LIFE SAVING AWARD WINNERS

Jan. 1: Paramedic Andres Rivera and Matthew LiVigni Jan. 17: Paramedic Myquan Alston, Paramedic Jonathan Castillo, Paramedic Toni Lemke, EMT Jordan Ford, EMT Abdul Malik-Akbar and paramedic student EMT Dan Breitman Jan. 25: Paramedic Jeremy Portorreal and EMT Olivia Spano Feb. 9 and April 13: Two awards to Paramedic Lirjie Mustafaj Feb. 12: Paramedic Juan Granda and EMT Ashley Scott April 3: Paramedic Daryn Baia and Paramedic Ron Pugh April 19: Paramedic Alex Santaquilani, EMT Cargill, EMT Alyssa Elysee and EMT

Janisha Philibert March 26: Paramedic Robin Finkelstein and EMT Julio Gonzales May 16: Paramedic Rose Moran, Paramedic Kareem Mosead and EMT Kashawn Barnes July 12: Paramedic Michael Ceriani and EMT Vanessa Morales July 15: Paramedic Lauren Diamond and EMT Boluwatife Oduguwa July 22: Paramedic Kris Hansen and EMT Robert Lunde Oct. 8: Paramedic Kareem Mosead, Paramedic Gonzalo Cavajani and EMT Marc Collazo Sept. 17: Paramedic Gonzalo Cavajani, Paramedic Myquan

Alston and EMT Marc Collazo Sept. 19: Paramedic Raul Pimentel and EMT Vanessa Morales Oct. 16: Paramedic Kris Hansen and Paramedic John Scalzo Oct. 16: Paramedic William Rothschild and EMT Joshua Horowitz Nov. 2: Paramedic Jayvee Delossantos, EMT Gustavo Garcia-Say and EMT Elinor Williams Nov. 14: Paramedic Jonathan Castillo, EMT Suanu Barima and EMT Isabel Bravo July 28: Paramedic Raul Pimentel and EMT Thomas Salvatore and Paramedic student Amanda Nicoletti THE PULSE

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EMS WEEK 2026

Crew honored for exceptional service in rescue Captain Paul Mellamphy, Lt. Rose Moran, Paramedic Bryan Lucero, EMT Arnol Ramires and EMT Elinor Williams were honored with a Meritorious Award for their actions that led to the rescue of a 16-year-old male who had fallen approximately 50 feet from the roof of an abandoned factory.

The crew, in coordination with the Yonkers Fire Department and Yonkers Police Emergency Services Unit, demonstrated exceptional teamwork and professionalism during the rescue.

Operating under challenging conditions, including poor lighting in the early morning hours, the crew located the patient unresponsive with snoring respirations, indicating a compromised airway.

Recognizing the severity of the

and maintaining strict cervical spine immobilization, the team ensured safe removal from the scene.

situation, the team rapidly initiated advanced airway management.

Rapid Sequence Intubation was successfully performed using video laryngoscopy, and intravenous access was promptly established.

Due to the difficult location of the patient, coordinated efforts with fire and police personnel were required to safely extricate the patient. Utilizing a Stokes basket

CHILDBIRTH AWARDS Feb. 20: Paramedic Inisia Yearwood and EMT Stephanie Loor Feb. 23: EMT Stephanie Dorney and EMT Emerson Russell-Grad

Paramedic Inisia Yearwood, right, was among those who received childbirth awards from WREMSCO.

MORE PHOTOS ONLINE

View more photos from the WREMSCO awards with the story at www.empressems.com or check out the photo gallery from the event on Facebook.

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The patient was transported as a Level One trauma activation to Westchester Medical Center.

Through the swift, skilled, and collaborative efforts of all agencies involved, the patient ultimately made a significant recovery and was later transferred to Helen Hayes Hospital for rehabilitation.

This incident reflects the highest standards of emergency medical care, inter-agency cooperation, and dedication to patient outcomes. The actions of all personnel involved are worthy of recognition and commendation.

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EMS WEEK 2026

EMTs Alex Nasrallah, left, and Tai Timmerman were photographed in Yonkers during EMS Week.

Food trucks were on site at the two main Empress stations in Poughkeepsie, above, and Yonkers during EMS Week, to show appreciation for our employees and all they do.

EMTs Heilyn Keller and Nicholas Chalk start their shift in Yonkers during EMS Week.

EMT Rebecca O’Connor helped a painted turtle make it safely across the road recently, showing how at Empress we’re always ready to help, even our neighbors of other species.

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SPRING 2026

EMS MEMORIAL BIKE RIDE

Clockwise from top left: Paramedics Rick Haughwout, Dominique Vigliotti, Rudy Green, Andrew Pinney, Bill Rothschild and Brent Penfold; Rothschild, left, and Haughwout; A tag honoring Paramedic Dick Harvey; Rothschild on his bike; and Haughwout at the event.

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EMS MEMORIAL BIKE RIDE

Photos courtesy of Paramedic Bill Rothschild Clockwise from top left are Empress Paramedic Rick Haughwout, Paramedic Ron Pugh and Dominique Vigliotti; Empress Paramedics Ron Pugh and Caitlin Drap during the East Coast part of the EMS Memorial Bike Ride; Paramedic Andrew Pinney; and the entire ride crew pose with a Gettysburg memorial featuring a firefighter and a Union soldier.

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SPRING 2026

BIKE RIDE FUNDRAISER

YO-POUGH-YO bike trek to benefit National EMS Memorial Service

$25 participation fee to be matched by union and Empress

The first Yo-Pough-Yo Charity Bike Ride will be held on Saturday, June 13, starting at 8 a.m. at both the Empress EMS North headquarters at 10 S. White Street in Poughkeepsie, and the Empress EMS South headquarters at 722 Nepperhan Avenue in Yonkers.

Participants from each location will ride toward each other and meet at Castle Park at 92-198 Pumphouse Road in Brewster for lunch between noon and 1 p.m.

The ride is open to the public, but RSVPs are required. All riders must wear helmets.

Ride support volunteers are also needed, including people to drive the two fly cars provided by Empress that will be equipped with hydration and bike racks to pick up riders who encounter issues and cannot complete the ride. Volunteers can sign-up at the RSVP link.

The International Association of EMTs and Paramedics Union Local 20 is providing breakfast for cyclists and volunteers on both sides of the route. Empress will provide lunch at the park.

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Rothschild said. “I had to do some Paramedic Bill Rothschild is the creative visionary behind the event. union work out of the Empress station in Poughkeepsie. I finished “This is my crazy idea,” a shift at 7 a.m., and the meeting

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wasn’t until 10 a.m., and I thought I would bring my bike and go for a ride on the Dutchess Trail. It’s less than a mile from the Empress base, and it’s fairly flat, and a fairly easy ride.”

He realized the Empress headquarters in Yonkers was also near a bike trail, and that sparked an idea.

“It’s an 80-mile bike ride from Yonkers to Poughkeepsie. I started to think, ‘What if people want to start in Poughkeepsie and go to Yonkers?’ That’s where the YoPough-Yo name came from, is that it starts in both places.”

“Brewster is more or less in the middle between the two,” he continued. “It’s a good-sized park that is a good place to have lunch.

The idea just grew over time about having the groups starting at either side and meeting in the middle.

Then they can either go back to their starting points or continue to the other station,” he said.

He said it’s a straight shot except for a short section in Brewster where riders have to go on the road briefly to get to the rest of the trail.

As the planning took shape, he realized he needed sponsors and an organization to benefit from it and decided on The National EMS Memorial Service, which is held every summer in Washington, D.C., to honor EMS staff who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Every rider who donates $25 to participate will be matched three times by Empress EMS, the IAEP (International Association of EMTs

Riders take part in the Ride of Honor last July, part of the Weekend of Honor, held in the Washington, DC, area. The National EMS Memorial Service is held during the Weekend of Honor. The Yo-Pough-Yo Bike Ride will raise money for the National EMS Memorial Service.

and Paramedics) nationally and the Local 20. So each participant will ultimately bring $100 to the cause.

Rothschild said the National EMS Memorial Service is regularly attended by Empress staff.

Group carpools to ride “A group of people from Empress drive down to the Washington, D.C., area to attend that service, which is free. And as part of that service, there is also a bike ride.

We carpool down on Thursday and go on the bike ride on Friday.

The service is on Saturday, and we drive back up after that. Anyone is welcome to join us.”

honor any EMS workers who have passed away, regardless of whether they were on duty at the time.

“A bunch of people come and do it.

We have a great time,” he said of the EMS Memorial Bike Ride.

Rothschild said he considers his participation in the ride to be a significant factor in helping him maintain the physical fitness needed to keep working as a paramedic for 36 years.

“I was never a serious physical exertion person in the slightest, and discovering the EMS Memorial Bike Ride was a seminal breakthrough moment, to the extent that at my almost 60 years of age, I He noted there is a distinction have enough stamina and physical between the EMS Memorial ability to continue doing the work.

Bike Ride and the National EMS I want to spread the word so that Memorial Service. The service is in Empress or elsewhere in the reserved for people who lose their EMS community, someone might lives in the line of duty, while the find out that this is pretty cool,” bike ride provides an opportunity to Rothschild said.

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Empress fleet director accepts honors for ambulance donation Gift acknowledged during group’s annual Heroes Dinner in Fla.

Empress Fleet Director Kyle Stevens was recently a special guest at the For Paul Foundation’s 7th Annual Heroes Dinner and Scholarship Awards held on May 16 in Weston, Fla. He accepted a picture of the refurbished ambulance that Empress had donated, which sat outside the venue during the event, which also included the awarding of scholarships to people entering EMS fields. The For Paul Foundation offers support to first-responders, aspiring firstresponders, and the families of first responders who have passed away in the line of duty, The ambulance makes it possible for the foundation to deliver critical supplies to EMS workers during disasters such as hurricanes and also to bring treats and holiday cheer to families of EMS workers who have passed away in the line of duty.

Empress Fleet Director Kyle Stevens, left, accepts a photo of the ambulance Empress donated last year to the For Paul Foundation during the organization’s annual award ceremony and memorial dinner. At right behind podium is Dawn Witherspoon, founder of the organization. In the middle is Matt Delaney, executive director of the For Paul Foundation.

Stevens said his connection to the cause began with his parts vendor, Mike Kramer, who was a cousin of Dawn Witherspoon, founder of the For Paul Foundation.

Kramer told him about who they are and what they do.

“There was a death in their family. It was his aunt, and they

hadn’t talked in 20 years. He came to me and said ‘You guys have ambulances. I just talked to my cousin who has started a foundation.’ ” He said the donation didn’t work out at once.

“The first ambulance I tried to donate fell through and I felt like this had to go through and got it

THE FOR PAUL FOUNDATION The For Paul Foundation supports and honors first responders and their families. They also offer scholarships for individuals wishing to 17 THE PULSE

become EMTs, paramedics, or firefighters.

Learn more at theforpaulfoundation.org.

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all running. I wanted to help. I didn’t think it was a crazy big deal.

I know it helps; they had said it changes the outreach.

“We ended up getting a Montefiore truck, and we reached out and let her know we had the bus. Her husband Paul had worked with FDNY, so he had ties based on that.”

He said they initially planned to have it towed to Florida but things changed.

“We started bringing it in, replacing some tires, and they ended up coming to New York,” to drive it to Florida.

He said they are planning to return to Empress next year with the totally refurbished unit.

“They go country-wide, and they have a website where we are listed as their top sponsor.”

Stevens added there are plans to aid the Foundation with scholarship contributions from Empress’s sister PatientCare Company, the School of EMS. “They gave out probably 15 different scholarships, and they have agencies that represent them,” he said. “We are looking to talk because they provide scholarships, and getting the School of EMS involved so we can all benefit.

We’re looking to see if we can make it into a scholarship.

Empress Fleet Director Kyle Stevens, above, stands in front of the ambulance Empress donated last year, which was parked in front of the building where the For Paul Foundation’s Heroes Dinner was held. Below, a closeup of the Empress and PatientCare logos on door of the ambulance, acknowledging the donation on the vehicle. handling natural disasters such as hurricanes.

“They can actually get things to people. They’ve done all the hurricane responses. Before, they didn’t have emergency-style vehicles, but now they can get through.

“Going down there put a lot of perspective into what they do and what that ambulance is to them,” he said, noting it is used for things like “They needed the tools to do that, transporting gear to first responders and now they have them,” he said.

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SERVICE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

15

YEARS

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EMT Gary Saltzberg, right, is marking 15 years with Empress. At far left is EMT Sarah Baker and in middle is Paramedic Jen McSorley, both celebrating their 10th anniversary.

EMT/SSC Carletta Bethea, middle, is marking her 10th anniversary with Empress. She is seen here with Vice President of Operations Daniel Minerva, left, and Senior Director of Operations Scott Holland, right

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Paramedic Marc Strauss, left, is marking his 15th year with Empress, while EMT Angie Desmond, right is marking 5 years with the company.

EMT Kristin Frazier is marking her 10th anniversary with Empress.

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SERVICE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

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Paramedic Kelly Kohler, left, is marking 10 years with Empress. She is seen here with Lt. Sandy Wilson, and her dog, Faith.

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EMT Norton Morris, right, is marking his 10th anniversary with Empress.

He is seen in this photo with Lt. Vincent Hicks.

From left, Paramedic Steve Colt and EMT Ray Coe are both celebrating their 10th anniversary with Empress. They are posing in this photo with Paramedic and IAEP Local 20 VP Ted Marchionne and Lt. Chris Aiello.

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SERVICE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

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Lt. Vincent Hicks, center, is marking his 10th year with Empress. He is seen here with Lt. Lance Sanes, left, and Lt. Omar Stout at right.

EMT Cynthia Stoutenberg, right, is marking her 10th year with Empress.

She is seen here with EMT Norman Prentice, center, who is celebrating his first year, and Lt. Matt Dloughy.

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Paramedic Samantha Morales, center, is marking her 10th year with Empress. She is seen here with EMT CIC Namra Noreen, left, and Lt. Omar Stout at far right.

Lt. Emma Vargas, middle, is marking her 10th year with Empress. At her left is Captain Paul Mellamphy and on the right is Paramedic Anna Ketner.

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SERVICE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

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EMT Maria Alvarez, second from left, is marking her fifth year with Empress. At far left is Lt. John Hill; on Maria’s right is Deputy Chief Bob Szeli and at far right is Lt. Crew Connolly.

Paramedic Andrew Kemmerer is marking his fifth anniversary with Empress.

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Paramedic Katerina Gioffre is marking her fifth year with Empress.

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Paramedic Melonie King-Rowe is celebrating her fifth anniversary at Empress. At far left is Captain Paul Mellamphy, at Melonie’s right is Lt. Heather Franco and at far right is Lt. Kareem Mosaed.

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SPRING 2026

SERVICE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

5

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Paramedic Dalicia Garcia, middle, is marking her fifth year with Empress.

She is seen here with Captain Paul Mellamphy, far left, and Lt. Jayvee Delossantos.

EMT Jasmine Lopes, second from right, is marking her fifth year with Empress.

She is seen here with Captain Paul Mellamphy, far left, Lt. Faith Guevara, and Lt. Daniel Da Silva, right.

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Paramedic Joel Peguero, middle, is marking his fifth year with Empress, along with Paramedic Cameron Bryant. They are seen here with Deputy Chief Walt McCabe, far left.

Accounting Clerk Matt Rodey, center, is marking his fifth year with Empress. He is seen here with Jonathan Jonathan Kyriakidis, left, and Savvas Kyriakidis, far right.

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WELCOME NEW ACADEMY CLASS

Above: The Spring 2026 Academy North class poses for a group photo. Below right: North Academy students pose for a photo during a recent EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operator Course). Below left: North Academy students work on taking different types of ambulances through a variety of maneuvers during the EVOC.

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Check out the email signature guidelines

EMAIL SIGNATURES

An email is viewed both internally Theguide. use ofWe the primary Below aresignature the PatientCare signature guidelinesand fromexternally� the branding should usePatientCare the Empress logo name/or operating logo your email signature address/logo as in the example below. is required and should adhere to brand standards� Additionally, email signatures should be consistent for all employees�

Your Name Here

Your Job Title Here

 

Arial Bold, size 12 Arial, size 11

PatientCare EMS Solutions Street Address City, State Zip Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX | Cell: XXX-XXX-XXXX | Fax: XXX-XXX-XXXX Email Address | patientcareems.com

    

Arial, size 11 Arial, size 11 Arial, size 11 Arial, size 11 Arial, size 11



Logo placement

This message is intended only for the use of the addressee(s) and may contain information that is PRIVILEGED and CONFIDENTIAL. If you are not the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, do not print, forward, copy, distribute or otherwise use it. Immediately delete all copies of the message and its attachments and notify the sender.

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Arial italic, size 8 (Automatically added content)

OTHER EMAIL GUIDELINES • It is unacceptable to use a color other than black in an email signature, as it goes against PatientCare brand standards and looks unprofessional� • Personalized messages (an inspirational quote or verse, for example) are NOT permitted� Also, do not use rogue taglines that could potentially cause brand confusion� • Emojis and other cartoon imagery are NOT permitted to be used for email account profile pictures� THIS EMAIL SIGNATURE FORMAT IS INTENDED FOR ALL NEW OUTGOING MESSAGES AND/OR FIRST REPLIES. FORMATS FOR MULTIPLE REPLIES, EITHER INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL, ARE NOT SPECIFIED IN THIS BRAND GUIDE.

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CYBERSECURITY

Meet our new PatientCare IT officer Never share credentials or grant remote access to unfamiliar callers

•

By Greg Swope

Chief Information Officer, Information Technology, PatientCare EMS

Hello, Empress team! I am Greg Swope, PatientCare EMS’s new Chief Information Officer running Information Technology, and I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself through this issue of the newsletter.

I joined PatientCare EMS with a straightforward Greg Swope goal: To improve the technology and day-to-day experience of our teams in the field and across our operations. That means better technology tools, faster support, and systems that work and make your job easier, so you can focus on what matters most. I am looking forward to learning directly from many of you about where technology is helping and where it is falling short, and I will use that input to drive real improvements. With that introduction in mind, I also want to use this space to share something important.

A recent security incident — and what it means for all of us PatientCare EMS recently

and call IT directly to verify.

If you receive a suspicious call or have already provided information to an unknown caller, report it to your supervisor and to IT right away so we can act quickly.

Broader security habits worth building Taylor Grote/Unsplash experienced a social engineering attack in which outside individuals called employees while posing as members of our IT department.

These callers attempted to gain remote access to company systems and collect login credentials.

This type of attack is known as “vishing” (voice phishing), and it is a growing threat across the healthcare and EMS industry.

Our IT team will never call you unsolicited and ask for your password or remote access to your computer. If you receive a call like that, it is not us.

A few simple rules to keep yourself and our patients protected: •

• •

Never share your username, password, or any credentials over the phone, regardless of who the caller claims to be.

Never grant remote computer access to someone who calls you out of the blue.

If a caller claims to be from IT, ask for their name, hang up,

Beyond this specific threat, a few everyday habits go a long way toward keeping our organization secure: • Think before you click.

Phishing attacks arrive by phone, email, and text. If something feels off, trust that instinct.

• Use strong, unique passwords for each system, and take advantage of multi-factor authentication wherever it is available.

• Lock your screen when stepping away from your workstation, even for a few minutes.

• Report anything suspicious.

You do not need to be certain something is wrong to speak up. When in doubt, reach out to IT at itsupport@pcls-us.com.

Security is a team effort, and every one of you plays a role in keeping PatientCare EMS and our patients safe. Thank you for your vigilance, and thank you for the work you do.

I look forward to meeting many of you soon and providing additional updates in the future.

THE PULSE

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THE PULSE

SPRING 2026

ENFORCING STANDARDS

Behind the Review: What QA/QI actually looks for — and what happens next

By Deputy Chief Bob Szeli A Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement review can feel like a mystery, even like surveillance.

It isn’t meant to be either. The goal of QA/ QI is to identify opportunities to improve care, catch system-level problems before they become patterns, and support providers Bob Szeli in doing their best work.

Understanding how the process works, what it’s meant to do (and what it isn’t meant to do) makes it less intimidating and, more importantly, makes it more useful to you.

What QA/QI reviewers are looking for When a call comes up for review, we’re reading the PCR as both a clinical and operational document. The core questions are straightforward: •

•

Does the assessment support the impression? Are the findings documented, or just asserted?

Were interventions timely and

27 THE PULSE

Igor Ivlev/Unsplash appropriate given what was documented

Reviewers are also looking at the bigger picture: Are there trends across calls, crews, or shifts that point to a training need, a system gap, or a resource issue? Individual call review feeds into that larger analysis.

•

Is the narrative complete enough that a stranger — a physician, an attorney, a DOH reviewer — could reconstruct what happened and why?

•

Are there gaps between what was done and what was documented, or between what was documented and what protocols require?

We are not looking for perfect calls. We are looking for honest, complete ones.

A well-written PCR tells a story with a beginning, middle, and end. It captures not just what you did, but why and explains the clinical reasoning that drove your decisions. That reasoning is what separates a complete record from a checklist.

Calls enter the review queue several ways. Some are pulled randomly as part of routine auditing — every provider should expect that any call, at any time may be reviewed. Others are identified through specific intervention triggers: RSI, cardiac

How a call gets flagged

SPRING 2026 arrest, pediatric calls, RMAs, and similar high-acuity or highliability situations automatically receive closer attention. Calls may also be flagged based on a patient or facility complaint, a hospital callback, or a supervisor referral.

Self-report if concerned One pathway worth highlighting on its own: Provide a self-report.

If you were involved in a call that concerned you, whether it be an outcome that surprised you, a decision you second-guessed, a situation that didn’t go the way you expected (or even a call that went better than you expected) bringing it to QA yourself is not an admission of failure or concern. It is exactly the kind of transparency our system depends on. Providers who selfreport demonstrate professional integrity, and that matters in how a review is approached.

Being flagged does not mean something went wrong. It means the call warrants a closer look — and in many cases, that closer look confirms the care was appropriate and the documentation supports it.

THE PULSE If you were involved in a call that concerned you, whether it be an outcome that surprised you, a decision that you second-guessed, or things didn’t go as you expected ... bringing it to QA yourself is not admission of failure or concern. It is exactly the kind of transparency our system depends on.

What happens after The majority of reviewed calls result in no action. The documentation is solid, the care was appropriate, the call is closed.

When a concern is identified, the provider has the opportunity to provide context before any determination is made. A call that looks incomplete on paper may have circumstances that explain the gaps, and that conversation is part of the process.

The response to any confirmed concern is proportional to what was found and can range from a brief educational note, a conversation with someone from QA/QI, or incorporation into aggregate data that shapes upcoming training.

Formal corrective action is reserved for situations involving significant, documented clinical or conduct concerns, and even then, the process follows established policy with appropriate review at each step, and the provider is always given a chance to speak.

QA/QI is not a gotcha system. It is a feedback loop — one that works best when providers document thoroughly, report honestly, and trust that the process is built to support them, not penalize them for doing a hard job in difficult conditions.

Questions about the QA/QI process? Reach out to the QA/QI office directly. We’re here.

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THE PULSE

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THE PULSE

SPRING 2026

STAYING SAFE

In wake of hantavirus outbreak, use PPE and take precautions

By Captain Paul Mellamphy As many of you are aware, local news outlets are reporting two Hudson Valley residents are among those currently being isolated and monitored following the headline-making Paul Mellamphy hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship.

One resident from Orange County and another from Westchester County were flown to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on May 11 and transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center for a 42-day monitoring period due to possible exposure to the highmortality Andes strain of hantavirus.

What does this mean for us?

This serves as an important reminder that we must remain familiar with our precautions and PPE procedures at all times.

For EMS personnel, the CDC recommends the following precautions when dealing with suspected hantavirus exposure: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Use gloves, 29 THE PULSE

Jan Kopřiva/Unsplash N95 or higher respirators, eye protection, and gowns when handling patients suspected of hantavirus infection or when cleaning areas contaminated with rodent excreta.

Avoid Aerosolization: Do not sweep or vacuum rodent droppings or nesting materials without proper PPE. Contaminated areas should first be wet with disinfectant to reduce airborne particles.

Hand Hygiene: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after patient contact or handling potentially contaminated materials.

Patient Handling: Isolate suspected hantavirus patients when feasible and minimize close contact unless necessary for patient care.

Environmental Cleaning: Use EPA-registered disinfectants on

Mier Chen/Unsplash surfaces contaminated with rodent urine, feces, or nesting materials.

Avoid dry sweeping or using compressed air.

Anyone who has been in EMS since 2020 is more than familiar with proper decontamination procedures, and this is a good opportunity to revisit those practices and ensure our PPE is stocked and readily available. Support services have worked on ensuring we are well stocked in PPE. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to a supervisor.

SPRING 2026

THE PULSE

STAYING SAFE

Remember these driving tips when you’re out in the field on a call

By Deputy Chief Sean O’Brien I want to take a moment to reinforce several critical safety expectations that apply to every member operating an agency vehicle.

These are not suggestions — they are essential practices that protect you, Sean O’Brien your partner, our patients, and the public.

1. Backing with a Spotter — No Exceptions

whether you are operating Code 1 or Code 3.

Backing an ambulance is one of the • highest risk maneuvers we perform.

A spotter must be used every time you reverse the vehicle.

• • Ensure clear communication with your spotter • • Stop immediately if you lose visual contact •

Take your time — there is no emergency that justifies a preventable backing accident

2. Full Stops at Traffic Control Devices All stop signs, red lights, and other traffic control devices require a complete stop, regardless of

•

Lights and sirens do not grant the right of way — they request it

Anticipate the actions of other drivers — they may not see or hear you.

•

You must confirm that traffic has yielded before proceeding

Your responsibility is to arrive safely, not just quickly.

•

Every call we respond to is important, but none are more important than your safety and the safety of those around you.

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We cannot help others if we put ourselves or the public in harm’s way.

Rolling stops and unsafe intersections place everyone at unnecessary risk.

3. Drive with Due Regard at All Times “Due regard” is not just a phrase, it is a legal and professional obligation.

•

Drive at a speed appropriate for conditions (weather, traffic, visibility).

Let’s continue to hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of safe operation.

Thank you for your continued professionalism and commitment.

THE PULSE

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EMPRESS EMS

THE PULSE

A PatientCare Company

Empress is one of the largest, most experienced emergency and nonemergency response providers in the Bronx, Columbia, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties, as well as New York City and Litchfield County, Connecticut.

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