On the 11th, the New York City Council approved a package ordinance mandating the provision of bulletproof vests and self-defense training for New York City Fire Department (FDNY) paramedics. Among the two ordinances tabled by Councilman Joseph Borelli, the first ordinance (Int.126) is that the FDNY must provide bulletproof vests to EMTs and Paramedics who provide emergency medical services (EMS).
Another ordinance (Int.126) stipulates that self-defense training must also be provided compulsorily for paramedics. As a result, only the mayor’s signature process remains for this ordinance. Councilor Borrelli pointed out that “attacks on paramedics have doubled in the past four to five years following the repeal of similar ordinances,” and emphasized, “This is a 20-fold increase over the past 20 years.”
According to FDNY records, there were 363 attacks on paramedics last year, a whopping 2,230 percent increase compared to 15 in 2011.