Emergency Medical Services students attend new movie screening

Students headed to Westchester Community College to watch Asphalt City ahead of its release

Students from the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program at Southern Westchester BOCES had the chance to see an advanced screening of Asphalt City, a new movie about New York City Paramedics, hosted by Westchester Community College.

Asphalt City was created when former New York City Emergency Medical Technician Michael Kaufman introduced movie director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire to Eric Cardamone, director of EMS at the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in 2018. Mr. Sauvaire had purchased the rights to a book about NYC 911 EMS called Black Flies and planned to make a movie based on it. Asphalt City depicts the story of a rookie paramedic who is paired with a seasoned partner working various neighborhoods. The movie provides glimpses into the unpredictable world of EMS.

John Ruffler, a junior at Irvington High School, is a volunteer with the Irvington Fire Department and works at the Tarrytown Volunteer Ambulance Corps. He said the movie gave him chills. “The movie showed the ups and downs of the job and how my life could end up. It showed what it’s like to be out there working and the toll it takes on you mentally.”

The director met with students after the screening for a Q&A session where they were able to learn more about their chosen field and the purpose of the movie. The movie highlighted the challenges that EMS personnel face daily, the work setting and the mental toll it can take.

“It was a realistic movie and showed what EMTs go through physically and emotionally. I realized what they do daily for our community,” said Victoria Bencivengo, a senior at Valhalla High School. “It’s a heavy movie, it’s a lot to take in. It made me want to help the community a lot more, and I felt it made us feel 100% prepared.”