In recognition of EMS Week 2018, we asked some of our members what does this year’s theme “Stronger Together” mean to them? Check out what they had to say, as well as learn why they love working in EMS.
Meet Lieutenant Joy Canter
“Stronger Together means EMS is able to overcome and adapt to all things that come our way and as a cohesive force, we are unstoppable,” said Canter, an 11-year veteran who currently works in our Bureau of Management Analysis and Planning (MAP) in Brooklyn. “This job enables people to understand the meaning of teamwork and we all come together to help the community. When you work for the FDNY, you grow to trust your brothers and sisters and rely on each other’s loyalty because at the end of the day, we all take care of one another.”
Meet Rescue Medic Jonathan Rivera
“EMS is one of the youngest services in our city’s history and we have one of the toughest jobs this city has to offer. We’re ‘Stronger Together’ because leaning on one another makes us stronger and allows us to provide a better service to this great city,” said Rivera, an 11-year veteran in our Department who works at Station 20 in The Bronx. “The FDNY has a lot of history and a lot of well-trained EMTs and Paramedics that one can learn from and be proud to call partners. There are always new surprises and challenges when you work here and treating patients every day in such a dynamic city is always a challenge that I look forward to.”
Meet EMT Jeani St. Clair
“I think ‘Stronger Together’ really shows that we’re a big family here in EMS. I have Lieutenants, Paramedics and EMTs who always make the effort to help me learn more about this job, because to be successful at this job, you have to know that you can’t do it alone and the more people you have around you with knowledge and experience in working in EMS, the stronger you will be,” said St. Clair, who is also a FDNY Captain Vernon A. Richard High School for Fire and Life Safety Class of 2012 alumna. “Working in EMS is about helping people and we go through a lot of challenges on these calls when we’re helping our patients, but we help them together. We’re always better as one.”
Meet EMT Brendan McCormack
“I think ‘Stronger Together’ means us being there for each other at good times and especially bad times. This career is mentally tough and it can be physically exhausting, but it’s a job we love and we honor the FDNY patch,” said McCormack, a 15-year veteran in our Department who serves as a Drill Instructor at our EMS Academy. “Not many people can say they truly make a difference in people’s lives every day and together as an agency, EMS and fire are stronger and we’re proudly working for the greatest Department in the world.”
Meet EMT Camilo Hernandez
“When you’re working in a career like this one, you have to do the right thing, you need to have the right mindset, you have to treat people how you want to be treated and you have to always be prepared to help others,” said Hernandez, who also serves as a Drill Instructor at our EMS Academy at Fort Totten. “This job has been really good to me and I’ve learned a lot working here and I think we’re always ‘Stronger Together’ because we can accomplish anything when we’re working together as brothers and sisters.”
As we celebrate Black History Month, join us today in giving a tip of the helmet to Chief of EMS Operations Michael Fields, center, and, from left, Deputy Chief Kahlia Graham, Deputy Chief Arlene Simmons, Deputy Chief Mario Thompkins, Deputy Chief Horace Williams, Division Chief Cheryl Middleton, Division Chief Tonya Boyd, Deputy Chief Telina Lloyd, Deputy Chief Leonard Wright, Deputy Chief Terrance Middleton, Deputy Chief Renae Mascol and Deputy Chief Laitrice Edwards.
