There are two legs to the ride this year: one that begins in New York and a new one that begins in Kentucky. Both groups of bicycle riders headed out on Sunday, May 20th and will meet in Virginia and ride into Roanoke together to attend the 15th Annual National EMS Memorial Service on Saturday, May 26. The purpose of The EMS Memorial Ride is to honor those EMS personnel who have died in the line of duty.

The Kentucky group is traveling 400 miles over the Appalachian Mountains to attend the memorial service, and also provided a podcast report from the road. Group coordinator Robert Galvin called in from Middlesboro, KY where the group took a rest break before continuing on to Harlan and then climbing to the highest point in Kentucky.

Paramedics and EMTs involved in the EMS Memorial Bike Ride took a much deserved break Wednesday afternoon after winding through country roads in Carroll and Montgomery counties in Maryland.

The riders, from eight states, started the 600-mile trek in New York on Sunday. They’re headed to Roanoke, Va. for the annual National EMS Memorial Service. They’ll be joined there by five bicyclists who are pedaling in from Kentucky.

There are two legs to the ride this year: one that begins in New York and a new one that begins in Kentucky. Both groups of bicycle riders headed out on Sunday, May 20th and will meet in Virginia and ride into Roanoke together to attend the 15th Annual National EMS Memorial Service on Saturday, May 26. The purpose of The EMS Memorial Ride is to honor those EMS personnel who have died in the line of duty.

As the New York-based group headed into day 2 of their 600-mile bicycle ride, we heard from organizer Dave Gilbert. Listen to the podcast to hear from Dave as he checks in from Washington’s Crossing in Mercer County, New Jersey.

There are two legs to the ride this year: one that begins in New York and a new one that begins in Kentucky. Both groups of bicycle riders headed out on Sunday, May 20th and will meet in Virginia and ride into Roanoke together to attend the 15th Annual National EMS Memorial Service on Saturday, May 26. The purpose of The EMS Memorial Ride is to honor those EMS personnel who have died in the line of duty.

The Kentucky group is traveling 400 miles over the Appalachian Mountains to attend the memorial service, and also provided a podcast report from the road. Group coordinator Robert Galvin called in from Middlesboro, KY where the group took a rest break before continuing on to Harlan and then climbing to the highest point in Kentucky.

Numerous headlines have pointed toward serious trouble in the city’s combined Fire/EMS department. Most recently, it was announced that the latest medical director has resigned - the third to do so in four years. Also this week, it was announced that a top mayoral candidate for the city is calling for the separation of fire and EMS, to try to solve problems in the combined department.

Also over the past year, the department has received criticism for considering a lapse in EMT certification to solve a budget shortfall, and for a troubled EMS response to New York Times reporter David Rosenbaum, who was attacked in the city last January and later died.

Gaull, who has been heavily involved in EMS and public safety issues in the area as a consultant, educator, and service provider, shared his take on the situation and how he hopes to contribute to public safety improvement in the city personally by running for the Ward 3 seat on the D.C. Council.

Gaull said the state of EMS in the capital is truly as troubled as the headlines indicate. “In D.C., the EMS system is on life support,” he said.

He believes the turnover in medical directors is a serious issue because it creates a lack of leadership and oversight. Medical directors have come to the city with good intentions, he said, but appear to leave because they get frustrated trying to work within the current framework. “This is extremely problematic for the system as a whole, and for the responders who work within the system,” Gaull said.

Gaull said the department’s problems are reflected by the current calls to separate Fire and EMS. The calls come from mayoral candidate Adrian M. Fenty, and from another candidate for city council, Gaull said.

He believes the city should give the combined department more time to work, but that if the department doesn’t demonstrate change and improvement in handling EMS, separation is something that should be discussed.

“I think if we don’t see real change coming out of the Fire and EMS Department –demonstrating that they have a different attitude about EMS, demonstrating that they have a real commitment toward patient-centric care — that we ought to get rid of the leadership of the fire department, bifurcate the systems and make EMS a stand alone system,” he said.

To hear more about Gaull’s view on EMS in D.C., and how he hopes to contribute to improving the system, listen to his podcast interview with EMSResponder.com.

To learn more about Gaull’s run for the Ward 3 seat on the D.C. Council, visit http://www.gaull2006.com/.