Steven Velásquez - Granting "Sirenity"

Steven P. Velasquez, NREMTP    A tired paramedic completed his night shift and greeted the beautiful summer morning with a smile -- and strong coffee. His unit was close to the home of his seven year-old daughter who lives with her mommy. He called the mother to see if they were busy. If not, perhaps he could spend the day with his munchkin. She agreed and they chose a venue somewhere between their locations, a diner with a retro 50's theme and customers to match. The place was busy, jammed, filled with what looked like a casting call for Ron Howards' 1985 movie " Cocoon ." Walking through the door, a delicate ear could hear a gentle and homogenous hum, an alliance of sound, a mix of atherosclerosis and Elvis filling the air (and apparently rendering the tired paramedic invisible).     Tired as he was, and eager to read the book under his left arm, he moved to the rear of the diner and aimed his large body...

  by Steven Velasquez     This morning, New Jersey's Police, Fire and EMS agencies were called into respectful action for the third time in as many weeks, to bring another young, deceased, member of service home.   Flight Paramedic Rebecca Serkey's remains arrived at JFK International Airport early this morning to make her final journey home, following a fatal MEDEVAC helicopter crash July 17, 2014 near Newkirk, New Mexico.   Rebecca (29) was a NJ Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic with Holy Name Hospital MICU in Teaneck and University Hospital EMS  in Newark before following her dream and moving to New Mexico, to work with TriState CareFlight.  Rebecca had also worked as an EMT for Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, Ridgefield Ambulance Corps. and others.   Today she was brought home surrounded by those who loved, worked with and respected her. Numerous EMS agencies including: Montclair Ridgefield Teaneck...