Community Magazine August 2012

Beyond the volunteers who take on emergency calls in between managing their regular jobs or businesses, there are the career lifesavers of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) who practically dedicate their entire lives to helping others. But with its demanding responsibilities, lackluster financial incentives and unassuming status, it’s a decidedly atypical choice for most Syrian-Jewish job seekers. Among the few intrepid entrants into this field from our community is Mr. Judah Marcus , whose involvement in the city’s Emergency Medical Service began in the early 70’s. After serving in the U.S. army for five years in Vietnam, on what was affectionately known as the “Jew Crew,” Judah joined BRAVO: Bayridge Volunteer Ambulance Organization as a dispatcher. A few years later, he took a first aid course and trained as an EMT (emergency medical technician). Then, in the early 80’s Judah heard that the city had an urgent need for EMS workers. All he needed was an EMT certification card, a GED (general education diploma from high school) and a clean driving license – all of which he had. So on February 25th, 1980, Judah Marcus began his quarter-of-a-century career as part of the city-run EMS. But Judah wasn’t satisfied with remaining as an EMT. In 1984, he was promoted to Lieutenant after successfully taking a supervisor’s test. Later, he trained as a paramedic and continued working out of Metropolitan Hospital, assigned with tasks such as starting intravenous, administering drugs, reading EKG, and intubation. Mr. Marcus was kind enough to take some time to share with us some of his thoughts and reflections on his outstanding career of life-saving work. What kind of skills does it take to be successful with EMS? Because it’s really a service profession, you need to be prepared to service all types and treat them all fairly. You meet people living in opulence and people living in the slums with roaches and no food. It makes you appreciate what you have. The EMS is definitely not the place to make big money, and not everyone is cut out for the work. You see all kinds of things on the calls – cardiac arrest, people passing on before your eyes, the removal of dead bodies, the results of shootings... it takes its toll. If you go into the field, you need another outlet. After dealing with the homeless, drug addicts, alcoholics and psychos, you need a way to let out the tension. People will curse you. I’ve been attacked and spit on, but you can’t take it personally. You must move on. What are your best memories of being with EMS? Saving people, delivering babies, attending to a cardiac arrest where the patient walks out alive, attending to people having a stroke and getting them to stroke centers in time. What was your most challenging assignment? 9/11. I got to the site of the World Trade Center 40 minutes after the buildings collapsed, so the danger was mostly from the environment: debris, glass panes and dust. I worked to set up the morgue on site, triage (sort), treatment and transport sectors. I supervised a crew of workers. It was a difficult time, taking account of the human toll, and especially knowing that my country was attacked. In 2005, after 25 years of distinguished service to the city, Mr. Marcus retired from the EMS and now devotes his time to the family and community that love him. FROM THE RANKS OF EMS member arrives on the scene to give a helping hand.” However, Hatzalah is not limited to the Jewish community. Volunteers are ready and prepared to respond instantly to anyone in a medical emergency. “Hatzalah is the one organization in the community that has no boundaries. It has no limitations, it crosses all lines,” declares David Kushner. Morris Abraham adds, “Hatzalah is truly one of the greatest organizations. It makes no difference who you are or what the nature of your medical emergency, volunteers are ready to help.” Another important distinction is Hatzalah’s financial structure. Unlike official 911 EMS crews, that receive city and state funding, independent volunteer ambulance services like Hatzalah of the Jersey Shore rely almost exclusively upon the support of generous donors. So while dispatchers and responders are the “foot soldiers” on the ground providing the medical care needed, they depend on the community to provide support for equipment and training. As Yona Shmueli puts it, “We thank the community for the opportunity to serve them, and remind them it’s a partnership. We give our time and expertise while the community provides the tools to help us do what we need to.” 58 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE