JOHN E. MCDONOGH

MCDONAGH, JOHN E. John E. McDonagh 40, Paramedic Deputy Chief. John Edward McDonagh of Valley Cottage, a longtime Rockland County resident and deputy chief of Rockland Paramedic Services, died Sunday, Nov. 21, 2004 at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, N.J., after a brief illness. He was 40. Mr. McDonagh was a leader in efforts to improve emergency medical services for the public in Rockland, Westchester and Orange counties and had been honored for his personal bravery and lifesaving abilities. In addition to working as a paramedic, Mr. McDonagh served the community through his efforts to train other paramedics and emergency services workers. He also volunteered as a firefighter and was active in Little League baseball. Born in New York City on June 5, 1964, Mr. McDonagh was the son of John and Margaret Ellen McDonagh. The family moved to Nanuet in 1977. Mr. McDonagh was a 1982 graduate of Nanuet High School, where he played on the school's football team. As a teenager, Mr. McDonagh grew interested in emergency medical services and he became involved with the Nanuet Ambulance Corps. He was one of the founding members of the group's youth corps and Mr. McDonagh went on to become a life member of the Nanuet volunteer unit. Mr. McDonagh studied at Rockland Community College in Ramapo and began his professional career in the emergency medical services field in 1986 when he joined Empress Ambulance Service in Yonkers, N.Y. His work in Yonkers prepared him for future challenges as a paramedic and as an advocate for improved emergency medical services for the public. In 1992, Mr. McDonagh joined Rockland Paramedic Service of Nanuet, becoming deputy chief of operations and director of logistical support. He assisted in managing the daily operations of paramedic stations throughout Rockland County and was responsible for training new employees and working closely with staff paramedics and other paramedic officers. Mr. McDonagh served as a liaison with Rockland County police departments, volunteer fire departments, county emergency officials as well as other county, town and village government officials. He led a special operations group that prepared for large-scale emergencies and he assisted in a variety of training programs for emergency services professionals and volunteers. Mr. McDonagh recently became a tactical medic, working with Orangetown Police.As an extension of his work in training, Mr. McDonagh was an educational instructor with MedAire Inc., Tempe Arizona, teaching a variety of emergency medical skills to pilots and flight attendants. Mr. McDonagh, despite a demanding professional schedule, still found time to volunteer in the community. He was a 12-year member of the Nyack Fire Department's Empire Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 of Upper Nyack and he was a volunteer with Nyack-Valley Cottage Little League, serving as a member of its board of directors and the league's chief umpire. In recognition of his service, Mr. McDonagh received the Crew of the Year Award in 1996 and 2002 during Nyack Hospital's EMS Week. He received the Rockland Paramedic Services' Executive Director Award and numerous honors in Rockland and Westchester counties for life-saving efforts. Mr. McDonagh received the Police Officer Al Carpentier Award on July 4, 2000, given for outstanding community service and dedication to the preservation of life. Mr. McDonagh married Wendy Wanamaker on April 11, 1992 and they made their home in Valley Cottage. Proud of his Irish heritage, Mr. McDonagh took his new family on a special trip several years ago to Galway, Ireland, so the American McDonaghs could meet the McDonaghs of Ireland.In addition to his wife of Valley Cottage and his parents of Nanuet, Mr. McDonagh is survived by three children, Connor, Trevor and Brendan, all of Valley Cottage; a brother, Thomas, of Nanuet; his mother-in-law, JoAnne Click of Cornwall-on-Hudson; his father-in-law, Richard Wanamaker of Nyack; sister-in-law Cindy Norton and her husband, Tom, of Cornwall-onHudson; sister-in-law Stephanie Ulrich and her husband, Dan, of Pearl River; and, numerous aunts and uncles in Ireland and nieces and nephews Tristan and Annie Norton and Taylor Ulrich. Calling hours are Monday, Nov. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Hannemann Funeral Home, 88 South Broadway, Nyack, and 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23. A service for emergency services members is set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.A funeral service is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Anthony's Parish Church, Nanuet, followed by burial in St. Anthony's Cemetery, Nanuet.A benevolent fund has been established in Mr. McDonagh's name. Donations may be made to: RPS Benevolent Fund, PO Box 614, Nanuet, N.Y. 10954-0614. HANNEMANN FUNERAL HOME, INC., 88 S. Broadway, Nyack (845) 358-0573