Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro presided today over a graduation ceremony for 70 new Paramedics at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn.
“FDNY Paramedics have the highest level of training for pre-hospital emergency medical care our Department provides,” said Commissioner Nigro. “These outstanding men and women respond to critical calls for help from New Yorkers every single day, bringing unmatched training and dedication, and saving lives.”
The graduates trained for nine months at the EMS Academy, at hospitals on clinical internships, and in field rotations, in order to provide the highest level of pre-hospital care. They also completed extensive training that expands on their previous level of certification to include anatomy and physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology, as well as many critical lifesaving skills, such as: intravenous therapy and medication administration; EKG monitoring and cardiac rhythm interpretation; and advanced airway management.
FDNY Youth alums Jorge Anderson and Christian Marte are two of the graduates.
“I grew up in Brooklyn all my life and I am so glad to be working in my community as a Paramedic. l really didn’t see people who looked like me involved in medicine while growing up,” said Anderson, a FDNY Captain Vernon A. Richard High School for Fire and Life Safety Class of 2009 alumnus. “My mother encouraged me to go to the FDNY High School because of the program it offered. I joined the FDNY in October 2016 and I am the first in my family to become a Paramedic in the Department. I was a victim of gun violence in December 2015 and members of EMS Station 39 transported me to the hospital where I had multiple surgeries to repair the damage. While rehabilitating my leg, I still completed the hiring process and beat the odds. Life has its challenges, but we can’t let it consume us. The Medic Basic Program was challenging, but you get in as much as you put in. I had to study hard and I had great instructors, especially Instructor Kevin DeFiore. The class is competitive and getting to the finish line takes hard work. You must want it, it won’t choose you, you must choose it.”
FDNY Youth alumni members Jorge Anderson and Christian Marte are two of the 70 Paramedics who graduated from our Medic Basic Program today.
“I grew up in the Bronx and EMS Station 19 was a few blocks away from my home. When I joined the Department in 2017, I started there as an EMT. I am glad to be returning there as a Paramedic and to continue treating people in my community,” added Marte, a former FDNY Explorer and FDNY Youth Winter EMS Academy (WEMSA) graduate. “I was a part of the Exploring Program in 2014 and continued on to WEMSA in 2015. After my first Explorer meeting, and visiting Randall’s Island and practicing some drills, I knew I wanted to become a part of the FDNY. The instructors were inspiring, and I knew I wanted to become a Paramedic. The Medic Basic Program pushed us all during the last nine months. When it got tough, I didn’t give up, and had to persevere. My friends and I would create study groups before class and virtual study meetings after class. We were dedicated in completing the program together. My first job as a Medic was a cardiac arrest and I put all my skills into use, relied on my training, and did my job. Every day we must expect the unexpected, but this is what we train for.”
The FDNY Paramedics who graduated also previously served as FDNY Emergency Medical Technicians. Like them, you can work in our Department as an EMT first and then advance your career to our Paramedic rank. Start the process of joining our highly trained EMS today by filing for the Department of Citywide Administrative Services EMT or EMS Trainee exam. You can submit your application here.
View a stream of the ceremony here. View more photos from the ceremony here. Learn more about our Youth Services here.
