All-female ambulance corps’ 2nd rig will expand reach across Brooklyn

Ezras Nashim grows fleet to better serve women seeking emergency medical care

The all-female ambulance corps serving Brooklyn’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community is adding a second ambulance, a move Ezras Nashim’s leaders are hopeful will increase its ability to answer calls for emergency medical care and cut down on response times, while upholding their values of modesty.

Ezras Nashim, Hebrew for “helping women,” was founded in 2014 by Rachel Freier, who would later become the country’s first ultra-Orthodox Hasidic woman to hold public office when she was elected to a New York City Civil Court judgeship. After hearing from women in her community who felt uncomfortable with male emergency responders, Freier recognized the need for a women-staffed ambulance service.