The price to take an FDNY ambulance to a hospital will cost more starting Monday.
It is jumping from $900 to $1,385 — a 54% increase.
Oren Barzilay, president of Local 2507, a union that represents uniformed emergency medical technicians, paramedics and fire inspectors, says this hike is unwarranted.
“This can hurt a lot of people. This is a huge increase. People can’t pay the bill as of now as it is, so now to add additional costs to the public I think it’s not necessary,” Barzilay said.
What You Need To Know
- The price to get a ride in an FDNY ambulance to a hospital is going from $900 to $1,385
- The president of Local 2507 says this may prevent people who need an ambulance from calling one
- The FDNY also raised the charge per mile for hospital trips from $15 to $20
- The rate hike comes as the FDNY cites inflation and emergency medical service raises
The price per mile also going to from $15 to $20.
Barzilay says this is concerning for people who may opt for a ride share vehicle or a person to bring them to the hospital instead of being brought in by a trained professional.
“It’s a life and death situation, an Uber driver is not trained. They don’t have the drugs that we have, they don’t have defibrillators, they don’t have narcotics,” Barzilay said.
According to the FDNY, the hike comes because of inflation and raised emergency medical service salaries.
The union says the FDNY is just trying to make more money.
“Whoever came up with this solution or blaming game on EMS people to increase these rates should be fired,” Barzilay said. “It’s insulting, offensive and uncalled for.”
Barzilay is worried people won’t get ambulances who need them.
“People who are in dire need and don’t have the financial means they may switch over to an alternative way of getting to the hospital. It’s dangerous,” Barzilay said.
The FDNY did not respond to NY1’s request for a comment.
Barzilay and some New Yorkers who weighed in during a public comment period said they wish New Yorkers could get ambulance service for free.