Stopped in their tracks

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"Hi Crappie, Last night I went to see the Queens Symphony play a concert in Forest Park. In the beginning, Melinda Katz got up on stage to sing a couple tunes - after all it was her father who started the Queens Symphony and she has been singing with them for many years. First though, she had to introduce the audience to her two sons, Hunter and Carter, and Curtis Sliwa, their father, who of course was wearing his red beret and jacket. I give her an A for getting up there and singing although some of the notes were cringe worthy. The conductor complimented her and said, "We could have the best singing Borough President in the city and she's not bad looking either."

During the concert, a group of about 12 bikers on ATV's and dirt bikes came roaring out of the woods in a cloud of dust and the conductor made a comment about the noise as they tore up the main road. On the way to the bathroom, I mentioned the incident to a Parks worker with a badge and he was unaware of what happened so I went over to a 102 PCT Police car in the parking lot just so they would have a heads up. Sure enough, the bikers came roaring back a half hour later with two Police vehicles on their tail and they got them right on the road by the concert. So on top of a great concert on a beautiful night we got to see a light show courtesy of the NYPD." - Rich

Rockaway paramedics will get a GATOR

From WPIX:

There was little question since Hurricane Sandy hit, beach access for paramedics and their ambulance was somewhat restricted this summer season.

It’s exactly why paramedics want a John Deere GATOR, a beach accessible vehicle, used in Coney Island for patient transport.

Instead, Rockaway paramedics would use what’s known as a SKED, a roll up pallet meant for mass casualty situations and hitch it to the axle of a Parks and Recreation ATV. That ATV, driven by a park employee, would then drag patients through the sand to get to an ambulance in the Rockaways. Concerns only grew when they learned the patient could also be taking in fumes during that ride.

“We carry CO meters and the CO meters at 35, they go ballistic. They go off. It measured at 980 parts per million so now you’re not only dragging the patient through the sand, you’re blowing CO on them for a block or two before you even get them to an ambulance,” said Israel Miranda, Union President representing EMS and Paramedics.

After complaints, petitions, and with PIX11′s help, it seems there was a change of heart and the Rockaways will be getting exactly what it needs.

The FDNY said after a review of the procedure the SKED policy will not be used. Instead, the Fire Commissioner instructed the Bureau of EMS to place one of the city’s GATORS in the Rockaways.

NYPD tells park users that illegal activity is ok

From Save Ridgewood Reservoir:

Today I had an experience at the Ridgewood Reservoir which made it very clear to me that the local precincts have no intention to address the ATV problem and, in fact, are complicit in the abuse and destruction of New York City Department of Parks & Recreation property.

I approached the two officers in the van and told them about the ATV riders in the park. They explained that it is "very difficult" for them to pursue the scofflaws "up there" with their van and that the ATV riders always take off. I wondered why they assumed that the ATV owner was in an upper portion of the Ridgewood Reservoir property. I explained that, in fact, they were in the lower park between Highland Boulevard and the National Cemetery. They seemed reluctant to do anything about it, but finally said they'd look into it. I followed them as they left the parking lot heading towards Highland Boulevard. At the intersection, instead of turning left, towards the ATV, they turned right, away from the location and out of the park. They never returned.

By 12:50pm the ATV group had moved their activities higher up into the park, to an area directly adjacent to the reservoir. I called 311. The operator took my information, then transferred me to a 911 operator. At 12:54pm the 911 operator assured me that an NYPD vehicle was being dispatched. By 1:20pm, the ATV party was still in progress and the police hadn't arrived. While waiting for the police I spoke with the only adult in the group, who appeared to be the father of the children and owner of the ATV. He didn't think what he was doing was illegal. I asked if the police ever stopped them from riding in the park. I was shocked by what I was told. They had been told by the police that it was alright for them to ride in that area and to just avoid riding on the running paths and walkways! They also said that all the local ATV riders were given the same information, which would explain the sudden upsurge of ATV usage in the park. I left Ridgewood Reservoir and Highland Park at around 2:30pm. Nobody from the local precinct ever responded to the 911 operator's call.