Brooks-Powers raises need for trauma hospital on the Rockaway Peninsula
Brooks-Powers says the committee must raise the need for a trauma hospital on the peninsula. She praises local firefighters and EMTs but says since Peninsula Hospital closed, response times have increased and trauma patients must be taken to Cohen's or Jamaica Hospital, making it harder for ambulances to return to the peninsula.
And I don't think me or the chair will be doing our job if we didn't bring up, like, the trauma hospital need on the peninsula.
So I know it was mentioned that the response has been good comparatively to the city, which many of the firefighters live in our community, in my building, and all around, and EMT as well.
And we...
Value them and the work that they do.
But I'm always going to fight for more resources for both FDNY and EMT because what I hear on the ground has been that
Particularly since Peninsula Hospital has closed several years ago, the response times have increased compared to what they once were.
where we don't have an ambulance on the peninsula because if there's a trauma incident, they have to go out to Cohen's or to Jamaica Hospital and they get called in that area.
It takes even longer to come back to the peninsula.
So I think for us, it's important to hear because when we talk about the trauma hospital, we're talking about
stopping the bleeding, trying to save a life.
But there are other important components to even getting to the hospital, and that includes often your division, your part of the city agencies.
And so I would like to hear from you in terms of
how the city could better provide, like, work to address the need of the peninsula.
And I know that's difficult for you to answer in your positions, but as truthfully as you can under oath.