Bravest told to assist EMS under ‘doomsday scenario’

Firefighters trained as paramedics and EMTs will assist the FDNY’s overloaded medical services bureau as part of a “doomsday scenario” to deal with the surging coronavirus pandemic, the Daily News has learned.

Roughly 209 FDNY firefighters with emergency medical technician licenses have been ordered to man rapid response vehicles, according to a video released Tuesday night by United Firefighters’ Association head Gerard Fitzgerald.

They’re being asked to respond to some of the estimated 6,000 calls flooding the department’s Emergency Medical Service crews each day and evaluate patients for possible coronavirus infection or other medical problems, Fitzgerald said.

An additional 63 firefighters with paramedic certifications are also on tap to assist EMS on medical calls, the union leader said.

Fitzgerald acknowledged that firefighters might not like being assigned to a job outside their normal job responsibilities — but he said the city’s need outweighs such objections.

“We’re being asked to help EMS get through this pandemic,” Fitzgerald says in the video to his members. “It’s a problem to a lot of guys that have the title of firefighter and will be or asked to, ordered to, go back to EMS. Right now that’s what needs to have to happen to get through this pandemic.”

The FDNY is also freeing up an additional 250 firefighters to be part of the “next wave” if the coronavirus crisis continues to skyrocket as expected through mid-April, Fitzgerald said. The FDNY found the extra manpower by giving a year’s extension to any firefighter whose certified first responder credentials expired in the past 12 months.

“The City of New York is in a state of emergency. … The commissioner has everything at his disposal to make any decision that he deems necessary to keep the Fire Department in business,” Fitzgerald said. “The UFA doesn’t have the ability to fight this at this present time due to the state of emergency.”

“[We are] not liking some of the things coming down,” he said. “This is all part of a doomsday scenario, I was told. This is something that could be coming fast and furious.”

Before the change in orders, firefighters were not required to answer sick calls that could be coronavirus-related and were tasked with responding to fires and other emergencies.

In at least three documented instances, which the FDNY is investigating, firefighters responding to possible virus calls declined to engage with the patient and left the job to EMS.