Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

jxj24 t1_jdnvqli wrote

I was an EMT in upstate NY in the late '80s, in a territory that was on the opposite side of one of the Finger Lakes from the main hospital for the area.

It could be well over 40 minutes even while running lights and siren.

It was particularly frustrating as the lake is at most a mile wide, so you could see the hospital while knowing you weren't getting there any time soon.

(Oh, and the intersection you needed to get through was frequently blocked by train traffic.)

27

wcedmisten OP t1_jdo2pc2 wrote

Yeah I'd like to see what this map looks like for NY. Those lakes would have a big impact on the shape of the boundaries, whereas most of the boundaries in VA are roughly circular because there aren't big geographic barriers.

I'm curious, did your experience as an EMT make you want to live closer to a hospital for that reason?

11

jxj24 t1_jdozkk6 wrote

There are definite benefits to living somewhere that’s not the middle of nowhere, that’s for damn sure.

I live close to several hospitals now because I left NY and went to grad school for biomedical engineering, and that’s where this sort of thing gets done.

It’s pretty comforting to know that I am within mere minutes of world-class hospitals and a Level 1 Trauma center, but it’s not at the front of my mind very often.

6

took_a_bath t1_jdpd3tj wrote

Funny, I live in a relatively small town. I actually wish I could live in a smaller town. But for some reasons (maybe because I’m getting old and have a history of heart disease in my family), I find it a huge comfort to know I’m close to two hospitals.

2