Local Senator Calls For More Ambulances at Jones Beach State Park

Local Senator Todd Kaminsky recently announced that he wrote a letter to New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey calling more ambulances to be available around Jones Beach State Park.

Last year, Rockville Centre resident John Mullady died after suffering from a heart attack while traveling on the Ocean Parkway on Jones Beach. According to the letter, it took the ambulance a total of 18 minutes to reach Mullady.

"It is absolutely heartbreaking to me that this situation could be easily avoided if ambulatory, or other emergency services, had been available at the Jones Beach State Park during all hours," the letter reads.

An ambulance on the island on call between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. If an emergency occurs between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., the nearest ambulance has to be dispatched from the mainland. A private ambulance is located at the Jones Beach theater during events, but only responds to emergencies that occur at the venue.

"I am urging you to conduct a thorough review of your procedures and staffing for Jones Beach," Kaminsky wrote. "A highly trafficked venue such as this should have emergency medical services be adequately staffed so that visitors can safely enjoy themselves."

Do you agree? Do you believe there should be more ambulances at Jones Beach? Let us know in the comments below.