‘People are leaving’: New York City’s EMS workers are struggling to make ends meet

AI Summary

New York City EMS workers are struggling to afford living in the city, with low pay prompting some to leave the emergency medical service. Oren Barzilay, a longtime EMS worker and former union local president, says the city is failing to adequately compensate frontline responders.

EMS workers, who make life-or-death decisions in emergencies, are the lowest paid first responders After 31 years in New York City’s emergency medical services, Oren Barzilay has started giving young New Yorkers advice he never imagined giving when he began his EMS career. “Don’t come here,” he tells them. “You are only going to hurt yourself.” It is a striking reversal for Barzilay, the recently retired president of FDNY EMS Local 2507. What changed for Barzilay was not his view of work or the value of service. It was what he believes is the New York City failure to pay the people who put their lives at risk to save the lives of others. Continue reading...