Ems Fdny Help Fund

THE EMS FDNY HELP FUND'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND PARAMEDICS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE EVENT OF DEATH, INJURY, ILLNESS OR HARDSHIP.

In a perfect world, our fund would not exist. We serve a diverse population of EMTs and Paramedics

Goal One: Confidential Counseling for FDNY EMS experiencing PTSD/Trauma - We currently have a pilot program in place to provide confidential counseling services.

Goal Two: Hardship Assistance - The Pandemic has brought a wave of Hardship to EMTs and Paramedics. The Pandemic is not over and the impact to our dedicated professionals will change.

Goal Three: Diversify Funding - We seek to provide ongoing hardship need when needed.

We are a very young organization, but we have partnerships with other NFPs such as Robin Hood Foundation and John A. Reisenbach (JAR). Time is allocated for the Board and contract staff to learn from and with these organizations. Ex. Robin Hood - Mobility Lab, No City Limits: Reimagining the Poverty Fight 2021

Meals during the Initial Pandemic Surge At the height of the 2020 Pandemic, we partnered with Verizon to deliver over 25,000 meals from local NYC restaurants to FDNY EMTs and Paramedics working 16+ hour shifts for 35 days - we started on Easter Sunday and the program ran through Mother’s Day. This is the biggest program that we have run to date. Confidential Mental Health Services “The psychological toll of handling COVID-19 calls is just unbelievable,” Gary Miller, a retired emergency services worker who serves on the fund’s board, told the New York Post.” In the summer of 2020, after three EMS FDNY suicides and additional deaths due to substance abuse, the fund partnered with the Trauma Recovery Network and National Institute for Psychotherapies to provide confidential mental health services. The Fund raises monies to provide additional confidential care, if needed, beyond our partner’s pro bono PTSD therapy sessions. Because of confidentiality, we do not have a count of how many have taken advantage of these services. Hardship Assistance Related to the Pandemic and beyond In 2020 we received 57 Applications for Financial Assistance. In 2021, we received 64 Applications for Financial Assistance - including 6 EMTs who lost everything to Hurricane Ida. Every applicant receives a response that may be direction to other available resources. The average Assistance is around $2,400/granted request. We do not write checks to the actual applicants - instead we cover back rent/mortgage, car payments, medical copays, funeral expenses, etc. The fact that more than 650 EMTs and Paramedics contribute $2/paycheck speaks volumes. The fund was originally founded to provide assistance in the event of catastrophe - fire, flood, etc. The pandemic has been that and more for our NYC EMTs and Paramedics.