Central Park Medical Unit
42°21′58″N 71°15′19″W / 42.36611°N 71.25528°W
Fly-cars 1 Polaris utility vehicle, 4 mountain bikes | | |
| Director | Rafael Castellanos | |
|---|---|---|
| Responses | 3,000/year | |
| Website | www | |
The Central Park Medical Unit (CPMU) is an all-volunteer ambulance service that provides completely free emergency medical service to patrons of Central Park and the surrounding streets, in Manhattan, New York City, United States.
Description
CPMU's 150 certified
Members of CPMU range from college students to retirees. As one of the few opportunities to volunteer as an EMT in Manhattan, CPMU trains recent EMT graduates in the practical application of their skills. CPMU is completely funded by private donations, relying on the support of corporations and individuals and receiving no financial support from the
In addition to its three ambulances, CPMU also operates a rapid-response
History
CPMU was founded in 1975 after some local New Yorkers realized a need for rapid medical response in Central Park. Ambulance response times could take as long as 90 minutes in the park, which was not helped by the fact that ambulance crews did not have much navigational knowledge of the park's geography. CPMU was founded as the "Central Park Medical Rescue Squad."[2]
The Central Park Medical Rescue Squad was primarily a first response unit that consisted of approximately twenty volunteers, a few personal bicycles and a retrofitted Ford van used to transport crews and equipment. Later a stretcher was added to the van to allow for transport of patients when city EMS was not available. In 1976, the Central Park Medical Rescue Squad purchased a used type II ambulance from Lenox Hill Hospital. This allowed them to become a full-fledged, transporting emergency medical unit. In 1979, the rescue squad incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation and was renamed the "Central Park Medical Unit."
References
- ^ Chen, David W. (August 25, 1996). "Rangers Are 'Rollercops' Patrolling Park on Skates". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
