Cite Recent Shooting
EMS Unions: Need Vests While on Duty

By ARI PAUL

A show-down between a gunman and a Paramedic who was trying to assist him July 7 has prompted one Emergency Medical Service union leader to ask the Fire Department to make the wearing of bullet-proof vests mandatory.

PATRICK J. BAHNKEN: Make 'em wear it.

Paramedic Jacob Dutton and his partner, Joseph Fraiman, were transporting a 9-month-old baby who had suffered a seizure to Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn when they came upon a car accident at the corner of Albany Ave. and Park Place. Mr. Dutton stopped the ambulance. When he exited to assess the scene, the man who caused the accident while driving a carjacked vehicle produced a firearm and fired. Mr. Fraiman took the infant, who remained in stable condition, and sought cover at a nearby deli.

Live By the Gun ...

The police and another EMS unit arrived. The cops fired and hit the gunman. Mr. Dutton attended to the wounded carjacker and transported him and the baby to Kings County. The gunman was declared dead at the hospital.

"It speaks volumes to the commitment of our rank-and-file members," said Patrick Bahnken, president of Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics Union Local 2507 of District Council 37. "These are men and women who despite the daily dangers that can appear out of nowhere will perform their duties that they are charged with performing regardless of the potential threats to their personal safety."

THOMAS EPPINGER: Wants NYPD access.

EMS Officers Local 3621 President Thomas Eppinger hailed the Paramedics' courage under fire. He also told union members in an e-mail that the union would insist that they have access to NYPD frequencies on their radios.

The incident reignited the issue of safety for EMS members, who are currently entitled to receive bullet-proof vests, Mr. Bahnken said.

'Can't Leave It Optional'

"It has always been the position of this union that all members should wear their protective body armor," Mr. Bahnken said. "If I had any criticism, it would be that the department views this vital piece of personal protective equipment as optional as opposed to mandatory. We are required to carry gas masks. I would dare say that the possibilities of being shot at in the performance of duty are greater than the possibilities of being caught in the middle of a gas attack."

Mr. Eppinger said that the department should be required to issue the vests to all members, which are currently provided only on request, with no obligation to actually wear them.

"The union and the department need to take a hard look at this procedure," Mr. Eppinger said.

He added that he will send a letter about his concerns to the Chief of Department, Salvatore Cassano.

Mr. Bahnken was adamant that all EMTs, Paramedics and EMS officers should be required to wear bullet-proof vests while on the job, despite the fact that many of them might not want to.

"Will it irritate some of my members?" he asked. "Perhaps."