Letters and Comments from our Pa

I would love to sincerely thank you for saving my life on Wed. June 16th. I am not able to thanks you properly. May, God bless You! I will always keep you in my prayers, thoughts, and soul. I am happy to be alive. Thank God for you; for your un-conditional love for your fellow men. (mankind)

I will never forget the blizzard of 2010. At the height of the blizzard, on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 1:30 am. I got a call from the assisted living facility where both of my 86 year old parents were living. My mom was unresponsive and a Baldwin ambulance was called to take her to Mercy Hospital because Jefferson was closed due to a problem caused by the storm. My father, who was in a wheelchair, accompanied her. The paramedics had to shovel an area large enough to get my dad into the passenger seat. On the way to the hospital, they dodged fallen trees, a white out and almost impassable roads. When they arrived at 3 am, a social worker got my dad comfortable and called me on my cell phone saying I should try to get the hospital.

I was unable to get my car out of the garage and made several phone calls to neighbors. When no one answered, I realized the land-line phones were not working and I didn't have their cell phone numbers. I crossed the street in knee-high snow and banged on the door of a neighbor who has a Dodge Ram truck and a huge heart. When he heard that I needed help to get to the hospital, he immediately got dressed, dug out his truck, picked up my sister, found a gas station with working gas pumps and drove us to the hospital. He went over mounds of snow, around jack-knifed tracker trailers and abandoned cars on Browns Hills Rd and avoided a tree that fell in front of us. When the snow jammed the bottom of his truck and we couldn't go forward, he calmly shifted through the gears until we could move again. Not once did he say he couldn't get us there.

When we got to the hospital, Mom was in intensive care and Dad was wrapped in blankets sitting in his wheelchair in the waiting room. The nurses were very caring caring even though many of them, like us, were stuck for a day and a half at the hospital. Not only did they treat my Mom, but they were also concerned about keeping my dad, my sister and me as comfortable as possible.

My family and I will be forever grateful to the Baldwin Paramedics, ICU nurse, Kara and especially my very determined and kind-hearted neighbor, Ted Cale.

The above letter was submitted to the Daily Messenger and Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

To Baldwin EMS/Station 510,

    My name is Keith Hodan, and I am a staff photographer for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. I was covering a protest march that Thursday, and found myself with heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness. It was in the middle of a fairly volatile situation on Penn Avenue near 33rd Street.

   The Baldwin EMS team of Chris Rud and Adam Samoni arrived, evaluated me, and transported me to AGH. Chris clearly and patiently explained my symptoms to me, what was being done to stabilize me, and what I should expect at the hospital. He had me initiate a "bare down" action that affected my vagus nerve, and immediately slowed my heart rate.

   He was completely professional in all his words and actions, while at the same time being very compassionate and even smiling in that "everything's gonna be alright" kinda way. Because of that, I relaxed, rested, and by the time we arrived at the hospital, I was feeling 100% better. My initial heart rate of 207 was down to 108, and my blood pressure was rising from a dangerously low level. Chris made sure I kept a copy of the EKG, so the doctors could see the 207 for themselves. He also told me what to expect at the hospital, and that I could expect to be admitted overnight. Not being the smartest bulb in the bunch, I immediately began thinking of ways to avoid the overnight stay!

   I just want to thank Chris and Adam for their concern and compassion and professional and knowledgeable care toward me in what was a very frightening experience. I thought I might have been headed for a heart attack...

Baldwin EMS deserves nothing but the highest praise for the actions of paramedic Rud and
his partner. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart (which is beating normally, now, thanks to you!)

Sincerely,
Keith Hodan
Staff Photographer
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Hi, How are you? Bill and I are very well, thanks to you. Curt and Sue, when you treated Bill on July 10th and transported him the hospital he was suffering from an "entrapped intestine" which had slipped through one of two abdominal hernias that we did not know existed!! He was treated in the emergency department and by early evening, that same day, he was taken for emergency surgery. He has made a full recover thanks to Curt, Sue and the Baldwin EMS team. I also want to thank Rose for taking the time to talk with me on the phone. Please accept the enclosed donation of $500.00 for your Project Readiness Capital Campaign Fund.

On Wednesday August 27, 2008 my husband fell and I called 911. I want to thank you all for many reasons: Promptness, efficiency, courtesy, consideration and experts in taking charge. Many, many thanks and good wishes in your wonderful field of work.

Thank you for participating in the "Home Sweet Home" Senior Fair at the JRMC Diagnostic Center. It was an overall success thanks to the vendors and organizations. Baldwin EMS is an exceptional asset to the community , and added so much to the event. Again, thank you for making this event a success and for your dedication to the community.

Thank you so much for coming to Camp McAnulty. The misting station was needed and a huge success. I truly appreciate you helping out at the last minute. Thank you for all that you do for our schools.

Just a note of thanks to the Paramedics who responded to a call for help recently for my mother. My mother could not thank the two men enough for being so kind to her. She is currently still in the hospital. The doctors say that she had a heart attack and has a long road to recovery. But thanks to your prompt attention and professionalism she is doing better.

Please accept the enclosed donations to your Project Readiness Building Fund in memory of my mother. My Mom passed away on June 26th. I want to thank you for all your help in getting her to the hospital and taking such good care of her each and every trip that you made. In 2007, you made eleven visits to my home for her and during each and every trip to the hospital you did it as gently and made her as comfortable as possible. You were here so often that it seemed like an extended family. Thank you again for all of your assistance.

The fact that this "Thank You" is so long overdue must not detract from the gratitude my family and I have for the Baldwin EMS Paramedics who cared for my husband on the morning of Jan 28th. That Monday you answered our 911 call and without delay, got my husband to the hospital emergency department. He was very ill and in complete heart block. Shortly after, he went into respiratory arrest and was on a ventilator in an induced coma. It was touch and go for a long while, but because of your quick response and excellent care, my husband pulled through again. You saved my husbands life! We will keep all of the professional and compassionate care that you showed my husband and our family, forever in our hearts. Thank you, I just hope you know how grateful we are and how much you care and kindness means to all of us.

My husband and I want to thank you for the good care and attention that you gave to my husband. He was fortunate to have you Thanksgiving Day. He is alive after his heart stopped while you were taking him to the hospital because of a heart attack.

Please consider this a very late, but very well meant thank you for the services you provided for me during September 2007. I fell on my back patio and broke my femur bone. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciated your very, very prompt response and well carried out emergency care. I am almost completely recovered and am finally getting caught up on things that should have been done quite some time ago. Nevertheless, I wanted to let you know how very professional the EMS crew was who took care of me. Many, many thanks for you wonderful care.

"I just wanted to say thank you for your help when I was one of several vehicles in an accident that you responded to last week. Your professionalism, compassion and support were appreciated more than you know. As a person that likes to make decisions and be in control, I can't even begin to tell you how incredible it was to be able to trust and lean on the people there to help me when I needed it most. Thanks again!

"I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of the two individuals who arranged on Sunday September 16th the treatment and transfer of my mother from her personal care home to the hospital. My mother was in an incoherent state of mind which necessitated this emergency call to the paramedics. For your information Paramedic Brian McCaffrey and EMT Blake Toki are two outstanding individuals that are the epitome of professionalism...having the situation well in hand upon my arrival at the facility. My mother was immediately prepared for transfer to the hospital...while noting my anxiety they demonstrated complete kindness in assuring me that this was not a life or death situation and in fact were concerned about my safety as well. Upon arrival at the hospital, they waited for me and escorted me into the hospital emergency department. In closing, complimentary letters are indeed rare these days however these exceptional people truly are "Paramedics and EMTs Extraordinares" and I am grateful that we were the recipients of their professional efforts".

"This is a belated note of thanks to the crews who assisted my mother on the morning of July 9th when she was confused and wandering near her home. My mother was a very modest person and would have been horrified to know how she was wandering. My mother subsequently died in the hospital of complications related to a large brain hemorrhage that was secondary to mets brain cancer from her breast cancer . Thank you for your help in getting my mother to the hospital and for all of the other work that you do as well".

I have had the need to call 911 on two occasions in the last month for my husband. Both crews that answered our call for help were Angels of Mercy. These gentlemen were so kind and compassionate with me and my husband. I know that they don't get paid nearly enough for the wonderful care that they provide.

Thank you fellows so much for your kind and very professional help on February 12th and so the 911 dispatcher too for staying on the line with me. My husband made it and is back home with me thanks to all of you and what the doctors were able to do. May God bless you all.

The paramedics who came to my home were very compassionate and professional. They talked to me the entire time. Please thank the fellows who took such good care of me. Keep up the great work that you all do!

Thank you so much for the great job you did taking care of my husband. He is doing fine now.

The crew was very prompt in responding to my call for help. They made me feel better within 10 minutes. They were professional and first class.

Thank you so much for the great job you did on 12/16/2006. My husband is fine now.

I wanted to thank the two paramedics who came to my home two weeks ago. They arrived very quickly to my home after I called 911. They were so professional and kind to me and my wife. The explained all of their procedures and took away my pain before I got to the hospital. Please thank this two gentlemen for taking such good care of me.

Many thanks to the crew for their kindness and care in transporting me to St. Clair Hospital. They lessened my anxiety as I knew I was in competent hands. Thank you all for being there for us.

"We wanted to express our gratitude for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit with the children during our block party. Your professionalism did not go unnoticed!"

I would like thank your staff for being so kind and compassionate to my Dad every time a crew came to our home. He always had nice things to say about all of you.

I want to express my thanks for the care provided to me by the Baldwin EMS paramedics. I was very impressed with the paramedics. They were very calm, proficient and caring. The made me feel secure in their hands. Please keep on hiring good people like the crew that cared for me.

On numerous occasions before and following May 21, 2006, I called upon Baldwin EMS and on a scale of 1 to 10, I rate you as an absolute 10. These professionals topped the scale in all phases and for that, my wife Rita and I will forever be grateful.

I called 911 and the crew arrived very promptly and were extremely professional. The crew explained all procedures to me and was very careful carrying me down my steps and across my lawn to the ambulance. Thank you to the men who were there for me.

I needed the paramedics the other day and had to call 911. Before I knew it, the two paramedics were walking through my door. These men knew what they were doing and so professional. I didn't know what to expect and they knew just what to say and do to calm me down. The stabilized my condition and transported me to the hospital. All of this went like clockwork. Please keep up the good work. We are very lucky to have such paramedics dedicated to their work.

My name is Charlene F. from Baldwin Boro. Recently I was taken to UPMC Presby by ambulance. Although the reason turned out to be non-life threatening the ambulance crew that took care of my needs were the perfect gentlemen. I just wanted to thank them for their courteous and professional manner in which they treated me. I am so sorry for not remembering your names, but I will always remember their care.

I cannot begin to express the gratitude that my family and I have for you and your men who saved my father's life. My mother found him unconscious in the bathroom and called 911. You arrived in minutes and began breathing for him and gave him CPR. Much of that dreadful night is a blur to me, but I remember how organized and quick you cared for my father. I rode in the front of the ambulance on the way to the hospital and was so surprised when one of the paramedics working on him in the back of the ambulance, leaned up front and told me my father was awake and following commands. He has fully recovered and has returned home without any complications. We were told by the emergency room doctor and the the doctor in the ICU that you saved Harry's life. He owes is life to you and other paramedics; and for that we are forever grateful.

God Bless all of the Baldwin EMS Paramedics, you will always be in our prayers,

I sincerely appreciated the crew that responded to my mother's call for help the other day when she was having chest pain. They were gentle and professional in the care they provided to her. We are fortunate to have Baldwin EMS in our community.

The crews that came to help me made me feel very comfortable, they were very, very kind and helpful...

The paramedics who treated my 2 year old daughter were very caring to her. They spoke to her in a soothing voice and gave her a teddy bear in which she hugged onto during her entire stay in the hospital.

"I was having terrific pain when the paramedics came to my home" They treated me with the utmost kindness and without causing me more pain"

"I could not have been more pleased with the services and professionalism that I received from your crew". They were confident and calm in a very upsetting situation"

"The paramedics were very caring, thoughtful and polite. It appeared as if they were taking care of their own family".

I was very pleased to receive this Patient Satisfaction Survey Form in my mail. I have been wanting to express my appreciation to the men that took care of me. They responded quickly to my home and took my blood pressure and gave me an IV and then gave me medicine that helped my back pain. I hope I never need to use your ambulance again, but if I do, I know that I will be in good hands.

I had a heart attack while in my home and was cared for by one of your teams from Baldwin EMS. Their response time was quick and the crew professionally diagnosed and treated by aliment. With the administration of oxygen, baby aspirin and nitroglycerin, they had stabilized my condition by the time we got to the hospital. The ER team was ready for me because of the communications from your team while in route to the hospital. They quickly processed me through to an operating room where I was catheterized and received a stent in an artery that had 100% blockage on the right side of my heart. Thanks to the excellent teamwork of everyone involved, I was discharged three days later and recovering very well. I feel good. I regret that I don't recall the names of the paramedics that helped me so I could express my appreciation and thanks to them personally. Please share my letter with them.

Please check this page periodically for NEW letters and comments are added at the top of this page.....thank you.