Common Sense: “New York City’s Best”
The members of the New York City Emergency Services system (known as “New York City’s Best”) do what is often a dangerous job with some of the lowest pay, worst hours, most difficult work conditions and least amount of recognition of any city uniformed service worker.
Now a division of the FDNY, for most of its history, it was a separate service. Back in 1996, the city reorganized to take EMS out of the Health and Hospitals Corporation and place them it the Fire Department which helped raise the morale of the service and provided a stronger voice for those who ride the “trucks.”
Most often, the dangers involve aiding and transporting emotionally disturbed individuals or reporting to an active crime or fire scene. Other times, it could be high risk field contact with a serious pathogen. It could be as simple as flying through traffic in response to a call.