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Hundreds of FDNY firefighters flood N.Y. capital seeking pension credit for EMS service

They showed their support for a bipartisan measure that would benefit them

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鈥淲e鈥檙e not asking for a new benefit, we鈥檙e asking you to fix a mistake,鈥 said Andrew Ansbro, president of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association.

Photo/Denis Slattery/Tribune News Service

By Denis Slattery
New York Daily News

ALBANY, N.Y. 鈥 FDNY firefighters who previously worked in the department鈥檚 Emergency Medical Services bureau are calling on Gov. Hochul and lawmakers to allow time spent serving on an ambulance to count towards their current pension and retirement.

Hundreds of firefighters gathered at the state capitol on Thursday to push for a measure that would enable them to receive credit for time served as an emergency medical technician or paramedic prior to becoming a firefighter.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not asking for a new benefit, we鈥檙e asking you to fix a mistake, to restore something that never should have been lost in the first place,鈥 said Andrew Ansbro, president of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association.

Currently, more than 1,400 firefighters who previously served as EMTs are impacted by the issue.

While EMS workers are part of the FDNY, they have a different pension system than firefighters. That means those who are promoted to firefighter can鈥檛 count their time serving as EMTs or paramedics towards their retirement or pension.

Hochul vetoed a bill approved by the Legislature last year that would have addressed the issue and reversed changes made in 2009 impacting pensions, arguing the measure should be folded into the state budget.

The state鈥檚 new fiscal year begins on Saturday, April 1, although Hochul and legislative leaders are gearing up for a lengthy budget season as

The hopes of the FDNY Uniformed Firefighters Association were buoyed last month when Senate Democrats included a revamped version of the overhaul in their one-house budget proposal.

鈥淭hese courageous men and women ... risk their lives daily to protect our city and keep us safe,鈥 Sen. Robert Jackson (D- Manhattan) told the crowd of cheering firefighters. 鈥淎nd yet they鈥檙e not receiving the recognition they deserve. It鈥檚 time to honor the life-saving work of NYC firefighters perform by counting the years they spent doing their job toward their pension.鈥

The long-sought measure has backing from both sides of the aisle. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers joined the firefighters and union leaders Thursday to voice their support.

Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt (R- Lockport) was among those calling for the bill to included in the budget.

鈥淚t might take a couple of weeks before we have a budget... but when it鈥檚 there, this should be in there and we will have righted and corrected an injustice and a wrong on behalf of our heroes here in New York State,鈥 Ortt said.

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