A YORK paramedic was today flying to New York in order to learn more about his counterparts in the Big Apple.

Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service (TENYAS) paramedic Glen Gears, 34, has worked at York ambulance station for ten years and is keen to learn how New York paramedics work, particularly in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attack. Glen, a Unison representative, is taking an International Studies Course at the Hull Trade Union Studies Centre and is being joined on the six-day trip by seven fellow students, including Scarborough Paramedic Julie Clayton. The group will be taking part in lessons at City University in Brooklyn as well as spending shifts with fire and ambulance personnel.

Their report on the visit, which will hopefully be followed up with a visit to the UK by New York crews, will set out good practice that could be adopted in Britain.

Glen said: "It will be great to establish links between the old York and New York.

"We will be able to see the differences between the services we provide and the way the trade unions work - it should give us plenty of food for thought."

Hull Trade Union Studies Centre, Unison, the TUC and TENYAS teamed up for the project.

Not only will the students be comparing the roles, responsibility and remuneration of the emergency health service in New York with the UK, but also the union organisations and how they work.

Ray Gray, regional trade union official for Unison, said: "This is the first course of its kind. We are at the forefront of something which will most certainly develop."

Updated: 10:26 Saturday, March 08, 2003