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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Michael Greco, Vice President of Local 2507, on FDNY EMS Budget and Pay Parity
4:15:41
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131 sec
Michael Greco, Vice President of Local 2507 representing FDNY EMTs, paramedics, and fire inspectors, addresses the City Council regarding the proposed $50 million budget increase for EMS and ongoing pay parity issues. He emphasizes the critical state of EMS, high turnover rates, and the need for additional funding and support.
- Highlights the accuracy of his previous warning about EMS being overwhelmed during COVID-19
- Points out the current high call volume and its impact on EMS operations
- Stresses the financial waste due to high turnover rates and inadequate training
- Calls for council support in contract negotiations and improving EMS working conditions
Michael Greco
4:15:41
How you doing?
4:15:42
Good afternoon, everybody.
4:15:42
Thank you for letting us speak.
4:15:44
My name is Michael Greco.
4:15:45
I'm the vice president of Local two thousand five hundred seven.
4:15:48
We represent the FDNY EMTs, paramedics, and fire inspectors.
4:15:53
The reason for me coming today was, first of all, to thank you and address the recommendation of the $50,000,000 in the budget.
4:16:02
I've been coming up, my president has been coming up for the past nine years speaking of the inequities that are going on in EMS.
4:16:08
And a month before COVID started back in February 2020, I stood in front of this council and stated that if the call volume hit 6,000 calls a day, that EMS would be decimated.
4:16:22
Sure enough, it proved to be correct.
4:16:24
We had a call in the National Ambulance Service, and we all saw what COVID brought when the city gets hit with so many medical calls.
4:16:31
We're now at that level now, and it seems the mayor or somebody is not listening to the screams going on.
4:16:39
We're in contract negotiations.
4:16:41
We're getting nowhere.
4:16:42
The fight for pay parity is real, and the suggestion of the influx of money that the council has suggested would not only help, but I think they're not looking at the savings that it would bring.
4:16:54
We're hiring 600 people a year, and we're losing about five fifty.
4:16:59
So, we're probably the only agency over the 10 past ten years who has hired 150% of their budgeted headcount.
4:17:07
Simple math.
4:17:08
It's cost about $10,000 to train one EMT if you just look at the uniforms and if you just look at the books.
4:17:14
That's not including salaries.
4:17:16
At 600 a year, you're looking at millions and millions of dollars that's being wasted on training.
4:17:22
This response times are shooting through the roof.
4:17:25
And we thank the city council, but we we ask for even more.
4:17:29
We we need the pressure.
4:17:30
Our service is losing members left and right.
4:17:33
Our training is atrocious when it comes to after they get out into the field.
4:17:38
There's no secondary training that comes on.
4:17:41
So I once again am here to make the call to you guys.
4:17:45
I thank you, Justin.
4:17:46
I know you've been a big advocate of us, but I'm reenergizing the call to help save FDNY EMS.