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Polishing Its Brass: EMS Band Seeking Parity on the Pipes Polishing
Its Brass
Ongoing Entertainment The band did its best to entertain the crowd - sometimes piping in the stands during the tense game - and also provided a backdrop when the first ball was thrown out. Shea Stadium, as part of its annual EMS night, invited Matthew Pearson, the 14-year-old son of EMS Lieut. Brendan Pearson, who died last April from a job-related injury, to make the game's first pitch. Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and FDNY Chief of EMS Command John J. Peruggia were also present to applaud the EMS Pipe and Drum Band. "The people involved have worked very hard to put this together and I support them all the way," Chief Peruggia had remarked earlier. "It's a tremendous morale-booster." The band was officially recognized by the Fire Department in January, and now plays at all FDNY EMS events, including medal ceremonies and graduations. It also sends pipers to the funerals of EMS family members upon request. Only one other EMS Bureau nationwide - in Boston - has its own pipe band, and it's a quarter of the size of New York's. The band has yet to play at a funeral for an EMS colleague, although it was asked to participate in the service for Paramedic Debbie Reeve, who died March 15 from asbestos-related lung cancer that family and friends believe related to her work at Ground Zero. "That was a real hard decision for us. We wanted to play at her funeral very badly," said EMT John Manning, the band manager and one of its founders. "But it's one thing to play at a parade and make a mistake and another to play at a member's funeral and make a mistake. It just wasn't the time for us - we were too new. I hope the day never comes when we get a call and have to show up and play at another member funeral, but now, if we do, we're ready." Injury Put to Use EMT Manning learned to play the pipes a few years ago, after suffering an injury that had him temporarily unable to work. Rather than stay at home "watching soap operas," Mr. Manning decided to invest time in learning how to play the pipes - something he'd always wanted to do but couldn't find time for. "I never learned how to read music in high school or anything - I wouldn't say I'm a musically-inclined person, but I wanted to learn and I kept at it," he said. First he joined a fraternal organization, The Knights of Columbus, which helped him get started. Later, as he progressed, he joined his neighborhood group - the Breezy Point Pipe Band - and he still plays for them. "We had a lot of EMS members who expressed an interest in playing and having a band - the Police Department has its own band, the Fire Department has one made up of firefighters, the Correction Department has an outstanding pipe and drum band. We thought, 'Why not EMS, too?''' EMT Manning related. "All we want to do is follow in the footsteps of other municipal bands and try and bring up morale for EMTs and Paramedics." The NYPD and FDNY bands helped EMT Manning and EMT Don Riley, the band's Pipe Major, get started. They offered advice, equipment and even set up a couple of group practice sessions. Eventually the EMS Pipe and Drum Band realized it needed a dedicated instructor, and selected Ray Wasson from the Breezy Point Pipers Band. Some members who joined recently are still beginners, but they're encouraged to participate in events as well as regularly attend the practices. The only stipulation the EMS Pipe and Drum Band makes is that participants be a member of the EMS Bureau, or at least related to a member in good standing. "We have three women - one of them is the wife of an EMT - and we have a guy from Hawaii and another guy is from Colombia. We don't care who you are or what your background is, as long as you're willing to practice and play," reiterated EMT Manning. The EMS Pipe and Drum Band, just coming off a series of high-profile events during the FDNY's annual EMS Week, already has a busy summer schedule lined up, including opening for the New York Liberty basketball team at Madison Square Garden July 2 and performing at a Brooklyn Cyclones game July 6 in Coney Island's Keyspan Park. But the ne plus ultra of piping events - New York's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade - still remains slightly out of reach for the band, said EMT Manning. "When members join they buy their own bagpipes, but as a band, we have to buy uniforms, flags, banners, and we buy the drums for the members who want to drum. It really gets quite expensive and we need some financial assistance," he said. The Road to St. Pat's To offset some of the costs involved with getting up to speed for St. Patrick's Day - which means winning the approval of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, which organizes the annual parade - the EMS Pipe and Drum Band is holding a fundraiser Sept. 30. "It's called 'Halfway to St. Patrick's Day,' and we're hoping a lot of people will come to it. We're going to have piping bands, The Eamonn Riley band, a DJ, and beer, soda and good food," said EMT Manning. "We're also putting together a Commemorative Journal for the event that people can buy space in. We've already got an ad from the Police and Fire Emerald Society of Nevada. It says 'Congratulations to the FDNY EMS Pipe and Drum Band on a great beginning.''' The fundraiser will take place at the DG Athletic Association at 149-50 15th St., Whitestone Queens from 7 p.m. until approximately midnight Sept. 30. Details can also be found at the band's Web site at: www.fdnyemspipesanddrums.com . Ads for the Commemorative Journal can be sent to the FDNY EMS Pipes and Drums Band, P.O. Box 604941, Flushing, NY, 11360, Attn: John Manning, Band Manager. Anyone interested in joining the EMS pipe band can contact EMT Manning at 917-589-0047 or EMT Riley at 570-872-3041. Practices are held Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m. at Fort Totten in Queens. |
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