Assistance Closer Than a Phone Call Away

Residents who live in the 2,800-home, incorporated cooperative of Rockaway Point, NY--and friends and family members who love them--can rest easy knowing assistance for EMS, police and fire is just a press of a button away thanks to donations of personal emergency response systems from the Rockaway Point Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department to those in need.

The E.R.D.A.S. (Emergency Response Digital Alarm System) takes the popular personal medical alert system a step further by also including police and fire response. The system consists of an electronic box that is connected to residents' phone systems and a wireless transmitter that is worn around their necks. If residents need assistance but aren't near a phone, all they have to do is press the button on the necklace which sends an alert to the cooperative's security department, which in turn sends an alert to the proper agency.

"It's really a wonderful system," says Eddie Valentine, chief of the department. "We have a lot of elderly residents in our community. It's also great for members who might need assistance for a short time, such as when they return home after a surgery."

ALL MEMBERS HAVE TO DO IS ASK

The first system was put in place about 25 years ago by a former chief of the department. "He realized there was a need for residents to be able to call for an ambulance or report a fire without having to use the phone," says Valentine.

Currently, 230 systems are installed in the community. Most units are returned to the department when a member no longer needs them, but Valentine says there's still a need for additional units since the number of elderly continues to grow.

Funds to purchase new systems are supported by donations and a $5,000 grant, which also helps to offset maintenance costs such as new batteries. "It costs us $500 for each system," he says. "But they're free of charge to our members. All they need to do is ask for one."

PROGRAM IS A SUCCESS

Valentine relates that the program is generally well received, although he admits personal pride sometimes gets in the way. "Some members feel if they have the system, they're considered a 'cripple'," he says. "But that isn't the case at all. We had one gentleman who refused to get one. His neighbors hadn't heard from him for two days so they checked on him. He had collapsed and almost bled to death. Fortunately, we were able to get to him in time to help. The first day he returned home, he had a box waiting for him.

"We also had another case where a woman had the unit installed for herself. Then her husband collapsed and was in cardiac arrest. She pressed the button to send an alert for his care. We've really had a lot of good success with the systems."

Valentine indicates that most members are aware of the system, but he promotes it every month at the community's Golden Age Club meetings. "I think everyone who lives alone or in a two-story home should have one," he says. "It can be useful even if someone gets dizzy and falls down, or if someone falls out of bed."

The Rockaway Point Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department also serves as the first line of defense for residents of the Breezy Point Community--which includes Rockaway Point--and it answers calls for two beach clubs and tourists to the area. It offers basic life support services and has a direct line to the Queens borough dispatcher if advanced life support or fire assistance is needed.

"We're the only department in the city of New York with four-wheel-drive vehicles," says Valentine. "We're a beachfront community and a lot of our homes are in sand lanes where there aren't any solid surfaces so they're critical for ensuring we can get to our members. We also get a lot of distress calls for potential drownings during the summer. Most visitors don't know we handle the area so they call 9-1-1, but security will also tone us up and we can help when needed."

For more, visit www.rockawaypointvfd.com.