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SPD Chief Fowler and SWAT Commander Belgrader present Seth Dukes, MD, with service award

Pictured from left to right are: Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler; Syracuse Police Lieutenant and SWAT Team Commander Dan Belgrader; Upstate Emergency Medicine Instructor and Fellow W. Seth Dukes, MD; Medical Director for Upstate’s EMS Programs Christian Knutsen, MD, MPH, FACEP; Syracuse Police Department Sergeant and Medical Program Director B.W. Novitsky; SPD Deputy Chief of Police Shawn Broton; and Medical Director of Upstate’s EMS and Disaster Medicine Physician Response Team Derek Cooney, MD, FF/NREMT-P, FACEP.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler and SWAT Commander Lieutenant Dan Belgrader presented Upstate University Hospital Emergency Medicine Instructor and Fellow W. Seth Dukes, MD, with a service award acknowledging his commitment and dedication to the Syracuse Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team Tuesday, July 26.

As a member of Upstate University Hospital’s EMS and Disaster Medicine Physician Response Team, Dr. Dukes is dispatched to assist with on-the-scene medical direction in unusual or complicated calls when patients cannot be immediately transported to the hospital.

Upstate’s EMS and Disaster Medicine Physician Response Team Program Director Derek Cooney, MD, FF/NREMT-P, FACEP, says the team works in conjunction with the Syracuse and Upstate University Police departments.

“Our team is notified through Onondaga County 911 dispatchers for mass casualty and other unique incidents, or when requested by law enforcement, EMS or fire personnel, and is also notified directly by SPD for tactical medical support in the field,” said Cooney.

Upstate’s Physician Response Team began in 2008 and includes six emergency room physicians. The team responds to approximately 500 calls per year. Chief Fowler said this program is invaluable to the SPD.

“Dr. Dukes and his peers provide our SWAT Team with immediate emergency medical aid on scene from ER physicians. When I first heard about this program, I was thinking about the safety of our officers but this program extends to the safety of our entire community. SWAT operations are dangerous and these situations put officers and residents at risk. As a leader, I cannot express in words how valuable they have been and continue to be to the Syracuse Police Department. We thank Dr. Dukes and his colleagues at Upstate for their service,” said Fowler.

Dukes graduated from University of Texas Medical Branch in Galeston, Texas, in June 2012 and completed his medical residency at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, in June 2015. He began his one-year Emergency Medical Service fellowship at Upstate in July 2015.

Dukes has accepted an emergency medicine faculty appointment at Loma Linda University Medical Center and will serve as medical director with American Medical Response in San Bernadino County beginning in August.

For more on the EMS and Disaster Medicine Physician Response Team, visit:  http://www.upstate.edu/emergency/outreach/response_team.php

Pictured from left to right are: Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler; Syracuse Police Lieutenant and SWAT Team Commander Dan Belgrader; Upstate Emergency Medicine Instructor and Fellow W. Seth Dukes, MD; Medical Director for Upstate’s EMS Programs Christian Knutsen, MD, MPH, FACEP; Syracuse Police Department Sergeant and Medical Program Director B.W. Novitsky; SPD Deputy Chief of Police Shawn Broton; and Medical Director of Upstate’s EMS and Disaster Medicine Physician Response Team Derek Cooney, MD, FF/NREMT-P, FACEP.

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