The Boston Herald
BOSTON — Boston EMS workers hit the city streets yesterday in a sweltering search-and-rescue mission to aid kids, the elderly and the homeless feeling the heat.
The Herald hitched a ride on the heat patrol as the city tries to cope with the mercury meltdown.
‘Obviously, we’re concerned about those most vulnerable to the heat, like the elderly, children and homeless people,’ said Boston EMS deputy superintendent Susan Schiller, who allowed a Herald reporter and photographer to ride along yesterday, making stops in Dorchester, Roxbury, South Boston and Jamaica Plain.
‘For heat-related emergencies, like today, we become much more aggressive about telling people they have to seek shelter,’ said Schiller, a 20-year EMS veteran.
Additional ambulances are being added to the EMS fleet this week in the hopes of bucking growing need amid the scorching temperatures. But despite more trucks, the steady stream of 911 calls outnumbered help at times yesterday, a reality that hits when temperatures flare, Schiller said.
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