The head of the union representing New York City's uniformed EMTs and paramedics says his people have spent several months being targeted by thugs who have attacked and vandalized ambulances, including throwing bricks at medical units during responses.
The New York Post reports that Oren Barzilay, president of Local 2507 of the Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics and Fire Inspectors union, has said that the city's EMS workers are in dire need of help but that no one is listening to their pleas.
“Someone is targeting our crews,” Barzilay told the Post. “The last incident had a brick thrown at them as they were responding to an emergency call."
The attacks have been happening on an almost monthly basis since Jan. 1, including incidents in which ambulances have had their windows smashed or been tagged with anti-police graffiti. Most of these instances of vandalism have occurred in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.
“These incidents are causing a delay in getting the public the help they need as these units are placed off-service for investigation, the wellness of our members and repairs,” Barzilay added.
Barzilay says that medics are facing a "day-to-day assault" and are not receiving safety, self-defense or de-escalation training. He says that crews are also outfitted with 20-year-old bulletproof vests which are long past their expiration dates.
