NEW WINDSOR, N.Y. (June 26, 2019) — On the evening of Monday, June 17, 2019, two EMTs from Mobile Life Support Services, the largest emergency medical service provider in the Hudson Valley, responded to an emergent situation while off duty in New York City, where they provided life-saving care to an apparent stabbing victim. Both EMTs received commendations for their quick action and heroism.
Mobile Life EMTs Shelagh Sweeney, 23, and Zach Bundschuh, 25, saw a man who they believed to be in his sixties, with an active bleed in his neck. Not equipped with their gear or a rig, the pair was forced to improvise. Sweeney used her own shirt to pack and apply pressure to the wound, while Bundschuh further assessed the patient. They alternated holding pressure to the critical neck wound until members of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) arrived at the scene. Upon the arrival of the FDNY, Sweeney and Bundschuh lowered the man to the ground and with minimal stimulation, the man regained consciousness, opened his eyes and was able to talk with investigators. He was moved to a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital for further emergency treatment.
“This is what it means to be an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) provider,” said Mobile President and CEO, Scott Woebse. “You are not just trained to do a job; you are trained to help others in their time of need, anytime, anywhere, whether you’re ‘on the clock’ or not, and that’s exactly what Shelagh and Zach did that night. We are so proud to have them as part of our team.”
Sweeney has been a Mobile Life employee for four years. She is a Captain and Firefighter at the Hurley Volunteer Fire Department in Hurley, N.Y. Last year, at only 21 years of age, she was the first female in the history of the department to be recognized as the Hurley Firefighter of the Year and was presented with her award by Ulster County Legislator Heidi Haynes. Sweeney is also a recent graduate of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and plans to continue her education even further.
Bundschuh has been a Mobile Life employee for three years. He also volunteers at his local volunteer fire department in West Hurley, N.Y., and is a graduate of SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, N.Y.
The two are bright, hardworking and well-liked by their fellow employees as well as their supervisors, added Woebse.
For more information about Mobile Life Support Services, or how to become an EMT or Paramedic, please visit the company’s website at www.mobilelife.com.
About Mobile Life Support Services, Inc.
Mobile Life Support Services, Inc. is a New York State Certified Advanced Life Support paramedic ambulance company that provides emergency services to communities and healthcare facilities throughout the Hudson Valley Region of New York State, including the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester. Founded in 1981 by Rick and Gayle Metzger, Mobile Life is composed of more than 500 EMS professionals across the region and operates a fleet of more than 60 ambulances and 26 stations. With a collective population of more than 1,000,000 residents, Mobile Life handles approximately 100,000 calls per year. For more information, visit www.mobilelife.com.
