Overview
- The unanimously passed bill (S.6698/A.7356) would have required at least two certified EMS personnel on every 911 response in cities over 1 million, effectively only New York City.
- Hochul’s veto memo estimated the city would need to hire 290 additional EMTs at an annual cost of about $25 million to meet the new standard.
- FDNY said it urged the veto, warning the requirement would reassign EMTs to supervisory vehicles, put fewer ambulances on the streets, and lengthen response times.
- Union leaders representing EMTs and paramedics condemned the decision, pointing to frequent assaults on crews and the 2022 on-duty killing of Lt. Alison Russo as evidence of safety risks.
- FDNY said ambulances already operate with two responders and that supervisors typically respond in separate vehicles rather than acting as on‑scene partners.