State lawmakers call for legislature to deem EMS as essential and address chronic EMT shortage

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PORT CHESTER – State Senator Shelley Mayer and Assemblyman Steve Otis, both Westchester County Democrats, called on state lawmakers to pass their legislation to classify “emergency medical services” as “essential services” under the law and to combat the shortage of EMS personnel by ensuring they have access to health and pension benefits.

Otis said the EMT services must be given the tools they need to attract and retain the personnel they require.

 “This is the safety of our families, of our kids, of our senior citizens. We need quality response time, quality services,” he said.

Mayer said voluntary and other emergency medical service providers are truly essential to society and she said it is “outrageous” that first responder “can be denied health benefits when we turn to them to address our own medical emergencies.”




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