New York City lawmakers are poised to revisit proposals targeted at bolstering the safety of critical first responders in light of the escalating assaults on emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics.
The City Council is set to reconsider legislation on February 28th that would ensure EMTs have access to body armor and annual self-defense and de-escalation training after previous attempts stalled in committee last year.
Council Minority Leader Joseph Borelli of Staten Island is optimistic about the bill’s passage this time around.
The proposed legislation mandates the Fire Department to equip EMTs and paramedics with bullet- and stab-resistant vests, alongside enforcing annual training programs designed to help them defend themselves and de-escalate potentially violent situations.
“Every day, FDNY EMTs put themselves in harm’s way to save New Yorkers’ lives, constantly facing the danger of being attacked themselves,” Borelli expressed. “Providing them with the tools to protect themselves is the least we can do to say ‘thank you.'”
The urgency of these measures is underscored by the alarming rise in attacks against EMS workers, with incidents more than doubling from 163 in 2018 to 386 in 2021.
Oren Barzilay, the president of the union representing over 4,100 city EMTs and medics, highlighted at a City Council hearing that assaults on EMTs are at an unprecedented high, lamenting the lack of action from the Fire Department, the city, and the judicial system in addressing these incidents.
The bipartisan support for the bills suggests collectively acknowledging the dangers EMTs and paramedics face.
The legislation also aims to prevent tragic incidents similar to the deaths of FDNY EMT Captain Alison Russo-Elling, who was fatally stabbed in September 2022, and EMT Yadira Arroyo, who was run over by her own ambulance and killed in 2017 after an assailant hijacked it.
The bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Council member Kevin C. Riley and Republican Joann Ariola, who chairs the committee on fire and emergency management, in addition to Borelli.
Riley said, “I support legislation ensuring first responders’ access to body armor and self-defense training because their safety is non-negotiable.”
“It’s our duty to protect those who dedicate their lives to protecting us daily. Their safety should never be compromised, and it’s incumbent upon us to provide the necessary tools and training to carry out their vital duties with confidence and security,” the council member added.
