To the rescue

To the editor: 

The Chief’s story on the FDNY's recent Medal Day ceremony at City Hall and its link to the annual FDNY Medal Day Book 2024 gives an opportunity to read about some of last year's

numerous, life-risking actions by the city’s Bravest and its Best, the members of its emergency medical services (“More than 70 FDNY members honored at Medal Day,” this issue).

This year's Medal Book also records the names of the hundreds of EMTs and paramedics, who last year alone re-started 1,179 hearts. That's just one part of what EMS workers are prepared to do when they leave their homes for a job administering emergency medical treatment to more than a million and a half patients yearly, night and day, throughout thousands of miles of city streets, while sometimes working 16 hours straight. As anyone may need EMS' medical skills at any time, everyone might want to care about how NYC treats them.

So, is there a New Yorker who finds it acceptable that the 4,400 stethoscope-wearing men and women of the EMS are paid tens of thousands of dollars less in wages and benefits yearly, than the 57,000 members of NYC's other "uniform services,” sanitation workers, correction officers, police officers and firefighters?

To his credit, Mayor Eric Adams is the first New York City mayor ever to promise equity for EMS. Since their contract expired almost two years ago, the circumstances are right for the mayor to take historic and commendable action to end what he himself has called a shameful situation.

Helen Northmore