Ends 38-year career as first responder
Tim McCarty almost quit after losing his first patient as a paramedic, but received words of encouragement from his mentors to convince him to stick with it. Following a 38-year career as an Emergency Medical Technician and paramedic, McCarty retired as a member of the New Windsor Emergency Medical Services on Friday. A walk-out ceremony was held in his honor.
McCarty described the moment as bittersweet. A call went out over the radio regarding his being the first number to be retired and how he was one of the first to join, in 2008, when the ambulance corps was formed. Then he took a few moments to greet his co-workers, fellow volunteers, friends, and family.
The 1977 Cornwall graduate became a volunteer firefighter with the Cornwall-on-Hudson Fire Department in 1980 and then joined the Salisbury Mills Fire Department. It was a call in Salisbury Mills that convinced the young man to pursue becoming an EMT. He was helping advance the hose line when the operator of the apparatus had a heart attack. The fire chief stepped in to perform CPR, but McCarty felt helpless and decided on the spot he needed to learn how to do that, so in 1983 he began attending EMT classes. In 1985, McCarty became a volunteer with the Cornwall Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
In 1988, McCarty joined the West Point Fire Department and retired as a captain in 2014. From 1980 to 1988 he worked as the water treatment operator in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New Windsor, and the United States Military Academy. He also served as the buildings and grounds superintendent in the Town of Cornwall.
McCarty joined Mobile Life in 1994 as an EMT and then worked for RPS for about nine years before joining New Windsor. He decided to study to become a paramedic because as an EMT he could only provide basic life support.
“I wanted to be able to do more to help people out,” he said, “and hopefully save their lives by providing advanced care. I’m a firm believer in bettering oneself and moving forward.”
During his career as a paramedic, McCarty responded to countless calls. Among the most memorable moments were those opportunities to deliver babies or to revive a patient suffering from cardiac arrest only to learn they were able to walk out of the hospital after recovery.
However, the one call that stands out the most almost ended his career before it even started.
His first day as a paramedic, McCarty responded to a call for a woman in cardiac arrest. She was treated with three rounds of high-dose epinephrine in an effort to restart her heart, but the emergency responder knew there was nothing he could do. Thinking he would never lose a patient, McCarty was distraught losing his first. He reached out to the crisis hotline and spoke to doctors and nurses who convinced him not to give up.
Looking back on his career, McCarty recalls not wearing gloves when he first started treating patients. Chest compressions were performed by hand, but now technology like a LUCAS machine performs the lifesaving maneuver.
In 2019, McCarty was among the Orange County first responders to be honored by then Assemblyman Colin Schmitt.
Looking ahead, McCarty joked that he wouldn’t miss emergency services, but indicated he could return as a driver. He will continue to serve the Cornwall community as a councilman, but added he will also enjoy the time outdoors hunting, hiking, and fishing.