Introduction
The Emergency Medical Services Political Action Committee (EMSPAC)-501(c)4 mobilizes NYC EMS to engage in political action around legislative issues that affect their workforce. The subject of this policy brief is the pay and benefits parity of 4,800 Municipal EMS. This proposal necessitates the adjustment of the Municipal budget to provide greater funding to the city Ambulance Service.
Policy Arguments
We seek budget parity between Municipal EMS with Law Enforcement and Fire Suppression. We seek the following programs and policies to be framed as municipal law and budget allocations.
- Pay and Benefits Parity and adjustment of the EMT-B salary with an FDNY FF first 5 years structure. A base salary of 110,000 within 5 years of employment.
- Pay and Benefits Parity and adjustment of the Paramedic (EMTP) with the NYPD ESU. A base salary of 150,000 within 5 years of employment.
- Pay and Benefits Parity and adjustment of EMS Officers with comparable ranks in NYPD and FDNY.
- Allow the direct hire of Paramedics into Municipal service.
- End the practice of routinely sending CFRs on the majority of medical calls.
- Reduce the size of the Fire Service to 6,000 Firefighters through natural attrition and retirement.
- Increase the amount of FDNY EMS to 10,000 EMTS and Paramedics.
- Invest adequate resources in FDNY EMS Stations and a reconstruction of the dilapidated Fort Totten Academy.
- Absorb all Hospital-based and Private units gradually back into a single-agency 911 system, and close down or merge VAC agencies that are no longer running daily units.
- End wasteful Up Triage of the 911 system to reduce call volume and stop sending Ambulances for ambulatory sick, abdominal pain, and intoxicated persons. To manage this non-life-threatening calls the city should institute a Community Paramedicine program linked to Municipal EMS.
- Begin ticketing routine abuse of the 911 system and charge co-pays for stable ambulatory patients using the 911 system as a city-subsidized medal transport service.
- Evaluate the possibility of a third service Department of EMS.
Conclusion
The EMSPAC-501(c)4 seeks a strong Municipal EMS system that operates more effectively with resources and management. We want pay and benefit parity for all classifications of emergency first responders. We seek an end to the wasteful use of CFRs on medical calls. We seek a staffing increase of Municipal 911 to manage medical emergencies. We seek an end to all private sector agencies in the 911 system.
Contact
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
(EMSPAC 501(c)4)
EMT David Bezprozvany, President
EMT Liam McCabe, Vice President
EMTP Ovadia Choueka, Treasurer
EMTP Walter Adler, Secretary General
EMSPAC.c4@gmail.com
WWW.EMSPAC-C4.ORG