FDNY EMS Members Celebrate 50 Years of Serving New York City

Source: FDNY EMS Local 2507

New York, NY—FDNY EMS Local 2507, the union representing New York’s 4,500 emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics and fire inspectors, is celebrating the 50th anniversary since the essential first responder organization’s inception in 1975.

FDNY EMS is the busiest emergency medical response agency in the world, handling over 30 million medical patient emergencies since Sept. 11, 2001. Since the terrorist attacks, FDNY EMS crews are responding to nearly 500,000 more emergencies each year, a massive 33% spike in 9-1-1 calls, without a commensurate increase in staffing or ambulances on the streets of New York.

In 2024, the city’s approximately 4,000 EMT’s and paramedics responded to 1,630,446 medical emergencies, a 15.4% increase since the start of the COVID pandemic. At the peak of the pandemic, the workforce responded to upwards of 7,000 medical emergencies each day, an increase of over 50% as compared to an average day in 2020.

EMS members regularly must overcome the steep psychological toll of this tough, dangerous and stressful job. During the pandemic quarantine, New Yorkers banged pots and pans on their stoops and out windows to demonstrate their fervent support for these medical first responders. Yet in the years since, civilian emergencies have spiked and job turnover has passed 50%, leaving these street doctors with diminished resources and staffing levels.

Originally a part of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), what New Yorkers now recognize as “FDNY EMS” merged with the FDNY in March 1996.

The agency’s Fire Protection Inspectors (FPI’s), also a critical part of the FDNY and Local 2507, lead the way conducting tens-of-thousands of annual safety inspections and investigations at commercial, industrial, high occupancy residential buildings and raids responsible for shutting down illegal propane tank farms hidden in residential communities across the five boroughs.

As part of the union’s commemoration of its 50 years of lifesaving service, EMS Local 2507 will host a gala celebration on Thursday, May 29th from 6 to 10 pm at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, Queens.   The event will be a formal "Thank You" to Gotham’s Street Doctors, for the countless lives they have saved over the last five decades.

“From our agency’s essential EMTs, and paramedics to fire protection inspectors, it is critical to reflect on the proud history, selfless attitude and faithful dedication of each and every member of Local 2507 across the last five decades,” said Oren Barzilay, president of the union and 29-year veteran of FDNY EMS. “The women and men of FDNY EMS are essential to the health and safety of New York City, and our union local is proud to recognize that commitment to save lives of our fellow New Yorkers.”

The gala will also recognize first responders and other city and state leaders for their contributions to support the essential role of EMS members:

EMT Ashley Diaz is a seven-year veteran of FDNY EMS (Station 43 -Coney Island) who had her right leg amputated following an accident in September 2022 when an incapacitated driver put her into a coma. Despite this personal tragedy, her continued work as an FDNY EMT illustrates the deep commitment union members provide for the people of New York.

Dr. Mitchell Katz is president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the country. Since joining in 2018, he has helped expand New York’s hospital system and continues to strongly collaborate with and support the EMS ambulance system. Under his leadership, New York City hospitals have adopted a modern electronic health record system and increased nursing positions.

Michael Barasch is managing partner at Barasch & McGarry, the 9/11 legal advocate for over 50,000 individuals impacted by the terrorist attacks on Lower Manhattan. Barasch has made dozens of trips to Capitol Hill to advocate for passage and continued funding for the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act and subsequent legislation to protect the 9/11 community.

Medical technologies firm Stryker Corporation is a key and longstanding supplier of surgical, patient transport and emergency medical equipment for the EMS.

Robert A. Ungar has for the last 30 years served the members of EMS Local 2507as their governmental affairs liaison for all state and local regulatory issues.

Walter Meginniss Jr. is a labor law partner at Gladstein, Reif & Meginniss LLP. and for over 40 years, has served the members of Local 2507 with collective bargaining matters.  

Scott Salmonson, a partner at MDASR Attorney at Law and serves as a legal advisor to the membership of Local 2507, addressing on-the-job injuries and workers’ compensation matters.

Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-12th SD) is Deputy Majority Leader representing parts of Queens County. Gianaris has been a longtime advocate for FDNY EMS members, as well as their ability to maintain interoperability to NYPD radios, and memorialized an FDNY paramedic and 9/11 first responder with a street naming ceremony in Astoria.

Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-23rd AD) represents the Rockaways. She has been a strong voice for rectifying the FDNY’s longstanding discriminatory pay practices in favor of wages more reflective of the important, lifesaving work of the FDNY EMS.

State Sen. Robert Jackson (D-31st SD) represents Upper Manhattan and is Chair of Civil Service & Pensions Committee. Jackson is a strong advocate for the retention and recruitment of EMS professionals and the introduction of hazard pay for these medical first responders in the instance of infectious disease outbreaks.

“Our frontline medical first responders are heroes and an inspiration to us all and are deserving of recognition every day,” Barzilay said. “We are happy to honor an incredible list of people that continue the EMS cause and contribute to the success and safety of its members.”