Hope for Bill in July
Fire, EMS Unions Seek Free Transit

By ARI PAUL

As the state's legislative session drew to a close June 21, unions representing first-responders lobbied in Albany until the 11th hour for two bills - one in the Assembly and one in the Senate - that would allow their members to ride the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's trains free of charge.

JIM SLEVIN: 'Good public policy.'

The bills did not pass, but the unions have vowed to keep pushing and are confident they will make headway when the State Legislature returns in mid-July for a special session.

Faster Subway Response

Bob Ungar, a spokesman for District Council 37 Local 2507, which represents Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians, said the benefits of the bills were "manifold."

In December of 2006, he said, there were 400 subway trains delayed due to medical emergencies. If more EMTs, Paramedics and Firefighters, all of whom have medical training, were riding MTA trains, these types of emergencies would be handled more swiftly, he said.

Many Firefighters, in addition to EMTs and Paramedics, drive to work instead of using public transportation, according to Jim Slevin, a vice president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, which supported the bill.

Free train usage would encourage responders to use transportation alternatives, which would reduce traffic and cause less pollution, Mr. Ungar said.

The Uniformed Fire Officers Association also supported the bill.

Mr. Slevin added that Firefighters have hazmat and anti-terrorism training, and if more Firefighters used the trains they would be available to respond quickly to related incidents in the subways, which have been favorite terrorist targets in European cities like Madrid and London.

"We think this would be good public policy," said Mr. Slevin. Police Officers were granted free admission to MTA trains in 1995.

The unions agreed that the more Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics were riding MTA trains at peak hours, the better off passengers would be in the event of an emergency.

"It's a tremendous boost to protect the public," said Mr. Ungar. "If you have the best in the world standing next to you, obviously you're going to survive."