Steven Velásquez - Granting "Sirenity"

  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...

Remember, Speak (honestly), Listen (intently), Repeat. Remember, Speak (honestly), Listen (intently), Repeat. Sometimes simple directions (like those on a shampoo bottle) can be applied to complex life situations to help keep us focused, resolute and moving in a forward direction. These past several weeks/months have been more trying to the NJ EMS community than I can remember in a century's q uarter. Hurricanes, loss of power, loss of property, loss of income, loss of loved one's -- and loss of each other are the recurrent themes.      Mourning Band I've personally begun to fear answering my phone, checking in on Facebook or reading email for fear of hearing, reading or learning of more pain and loss "within the perimeter".    My Facebook these days could aptly be renamed Eulogybook, or so it feels. Our smiling profile pics are replaced with images of bunting, mourning bands, and "In loving memory of...". Our flags nev...

by Steven P. Velasquez January 25, 2013 Anyone who's been close to me knows I have no capacity for planning when it comes to my private or social life.  Work, I've had to get good at but it hasn't come easy.  People invite me places, want me to celebrate things with them,  want to catch up on old times and I just can't ever seem to get it right.  My pathetic excuse is always; "I'm too busy.  I had to work."  It's one of my biggest weaknesses. Franklin Planner   So as I mature, I've been taking active steps to improve my planning.  I use online calendars, sync them with my laptop, my smart-phone etc...  And, being a little retro, I still maintain a written calendar in a Franklin Planner out of part ritual and devout loyalty to Dr. Steven Covey and the Franklin system which has drastically improved my life since my early twenties.   This weeks plans were intricate, detailed and a complex mix of personal and profession...