During pope’s visit, he’ll keep spectators safe

’94 EMHS alum will head medical tent in Philadelphia

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Dr. Scott Goldstein hopes this weekend is an uneventful one for him when Pope Francis visits Philadelphia on Saturday, the final leg of his highly anticipated and historic trip to the U.S., preceded by stops in Washington and New York City.

Millions of people are expected to assemble throughout Philadelphia to get a glimpse of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and Goldstein, a 1994 graduate of East Meadow High School who now specializes in emergency medicine, will be right at the heart of the festivities. Only he’ll be inside a tent, serving as the head physician at the primary medical station set up outside City Hall.

Goldstein, 39, is the director of tactical medicine at the Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, a branch of medicine in which physicians work on site with law enforcement, such as police officers or SWAT teams, to provide an immediate medical response in case of an emergency.

This weekend, his tent will be open to anyone who needs medical care — not counting the pope, who Goldstein said will have his own team of physicians. And though he is expecting — and hoping — to focus on treating mostly minor injuries and ailments like dehydration, nausea and ankle sprains, he is also prepared for worst-case scenarios.

“God forbid there’s a mass casualty — my role will immediately change,” he said. “I hope my job is that I’m bored that day.”

His role in the papal visit

Francis’s planned six-day trip to three cities, which will include parades, ceremonies and prayer services, culminates with his arrival in Philadelphia on Saturday morning to celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. That evening he will attend the World Meeting of Families, one of the world’s largest gatherings of Catholics, held every three years, which began on Tuesday. He will return to Rome Sunday evening.

The 50-person medical tent of physicians, paramedics and nurses headed by Goldstein will be in place from Friday to Sunday. His role, he said, is to evaluate patients, “… and say ‘You’re a little bit dehydrated, here’s some fluids, go back out and enjoy the shows,’ or ‘You need to go to the hospital.’”

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