NEW YORK — For nearly three decades, New York City’s firefighters and paramedics have worked under the FDNY umbrella. Now, a renewed effort to spin EMS off into its own agency is gaining traction.
EMS leaders, citing severe staffing losses to FDNY firefighting ranks, are pushing hard for the split, according to PIX 11.
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Supporters say it could improve patient care, while critics warn it could drive up costs, PIX 11 reported.
“We’ve doubled the call volume, we haven’t doubled the workforce,” Union Vice President and EMS Lt. Anthony Almojera testified before city council members on Nov. 13.
Almojera supports reverting to the pre-1996 model by separating the uniformed services, arguing New Yorkers would be safer under an independent EMS agency. His plan calls for roughly 5,000 to 8,000 members, pay parity with firefighters and enough equipment to keep ambulances running 24/7.
Achieving pay parity remains the top concern, as EMTs currently earn an average of about $60,000 a year, roughly half the salary of firefighters.
Council Member Justin Brannan is sponsoring legislation to split EMS from the FDNY, framing it as a step toward fair pay and fewer side jobs for frontline medics. Advocates say the current EMS workforce is too small, contributing to average 12-minute response times.
“Almost 70 percent of calls are medical emergencies, but barely 20 percent of the FDNY budget goes to EMS,” Brannan said.
Outgoing FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker acknowledges response time challenges tied to limited resources but opposes the bill, warning that a breakup could add inefficiency and redundancy.
It’s an age-old constant question — should EMS be its own agency, separate from fire? Why or why not?
