Utica, NY – With the workforce sustainability, recruitment efforts, and financial stability of EMS service and volunteer ambulance providers all under increasing strain statewide, Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-119) highlighted today the backbone of emergency care, our EMS services, advocating legislative support, increased protections, and financial relief for the providers of emergency medical services. “In an emergency situation every second matters. Our EMS providers save lives around the clock, working
tirelessly to continue serving our communities, and they deserve our unwavering support.”
Encompassing the full spectrum of pre-hospital care, from the 911 operator who dispatches emergency resources to the EMTs and paramedics who stabilize patients and administer advanced medical interventions, emergency medical services represent an absolutely critical link in the chain of survival. Often the first on scene in the vast majority of
medical emergencies, from strokes, heart attacks, overdoses, and childbirths, to traumatic and industrial injuries, EMS agencies respond to approximately 28.5 million calls for service nationally per year according to the National Association of EMS Officials, the quality and speed of their initial response often being the single greatest determinant of patient’s immediate and long-term health outcomes. Locally, data from the New York State Department of Health indicates that hospital transports by EMS service providers in Central New York totaled nearly 95,000 in 2022 alone.
However, despite their vital role, EMS agencies across the country, and across New York State, are facing significant challenges. Many agencies, particularly volunteer and rural services, operate on thin margins, and provider shortages are severe. According to the National Ambulance Association, turnover rates nationally within the EMS profession are
between 20 to 30 percent, with the number of active EMS responders in New York State declining by 17.5% between 2019 and 2022, according to the New York State EMS Workforce Report published by the State Emergency Medical Services Council in 2024. Additionally, over the past decade, the number of ambulatory service providers statewide
decreased near 9%, from 1,078 to 982. As a result of the decline, the Workforce Report shows 58.4% of EMS agencies statewide indicated that the decline in number of certified emergency responders diminished their ability to cover calls or schedule shifts, with 52% of volunteer agencies reporting their ability to maintain timely EMS responses in their
communities were moderately or severely impaired by certified volunteer staff shortages. Fueling the service & personnel decline, respondents cited inadequate compensation/benefits in addition to relief from demanding hours as
two primary factors. “EMS providers anchor our public safety infrastructure,” said Assemblywoman Buttenschon. “They respond alongside our police and fire departments during multi-agency emergencies, provide medical support at community events, play central roles in disaster preparedness and response planning, and in rural and underserved communities, are often the only advanced medical care providers available within a criticalwindow of time. And when our providers are understaffed, struggling to recruit, that threatens the entire emergency response system.”
Introducing and co-sponsoring legislation, Assemblywoman Buttenschon is advocating a package of bills designed to both bolster workforce recruitment efforts and support active responders, offering much needed support, protections, and financial relief through several legislative proposals:
● (A.708-Buttenschon): Provides direct
reciprocal certification to grant NYS EMT
certification to any applicant who holds a
certification from the National Registry with
fee or examination, easing employment &
recruitment barriers for new residents and
nationally certified veterans.
● (A.516)-Co-Sponsored: This legislation
would increase the State volunteer firefighter
and ambulance worker personal
compensation tax credit from the current
$200, to $1,200.
● (A.288)-Co-Sponsored: Expands financial
relief avenues by providing volunteer
firefighters and ambulance workers
eligibility to receive both the State personal
compensation tax credit and locally enacted
real property tax exemptions.
● (A.4679A)-Co-Sponsored: This bill would
promote volunteerism and give those
volunteers an incentive to continue their
education by granting three SUNY & CUNY
course credits per year for performing
volunteer EMT and firefighter training and
services.
● (A.644)-Co-Sponsored: This bill would
provide vehicle insurance discounts for
volunteer emergency personnel who have
completed the Emergency Vehicle
Operator’s Course (EVOC) as part of their
training.
● (A.5756-Buttenschon): This bill aims to
further protect the health & safety of
emergency responders by including spitting
on first responders as a criminal offense
under the definition of aggravated
harassment in the 2nd degree.
● (A.6410)-Co-Sponsored: Modernizes and
enhances the compensation awards,
protections, and benefits awarded under the
Volunteer Benefits Law.
● (A.2485)-Co-Sponsored: To protect the
mental health of emergency personnel, this
bill allows first responders who are
diagnosed with post-traumatic stress
disorder to request line of duty sick leave.
● (A.3657)-Co-Sponsored: Would establish
penalties against any individual who
discharges a firearm at or near a peace
officer, police officer, corrections officer,
firefighter, or emergency medical services
professional, with or without malice, is guilty
of class B felony.
● (A.4192)-Co-Sponsored: Would increase the
penalties for assault on first responders to a
class A felony.
● (A.8592)-Co-Sponsored: Establishes the
crime of reckless endangerment of first
responders in the first and second degrees,
sets penalties of class D and E felonies
respectively
“Our emergency personnel and volunteer first responders are our hometown heroes, and I am proud to lead and co-sponsor legislation that directly addresses the challenges our EMS providers face every day,” said Buttenschon. “Whether it’s reciprocal certification to bring in qualified responders, increased tax credits for volunteers, educational incentives through SUNY and CUNY, or stronger criminal penalties for those who assault first responders, each piece of this package addresses a real gap in support. These remarkable men & women have selflessly dedicated themselves to saving lives, now we must commit ourselves to supporting theirs.”
About Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon:
Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon proudly represents New York’s 119th Assembly District, encompassing the cities of Utica and Rome as well as the Towns of Floyd, Deerfield, Marcy, and Whitestown. From a lifelong educator and former Dean of Public Service and Emergency Preparedness at Mohawk Valley Community College, to a small family farm owner, Buttenschon brings decades of experience advocating for equity, access, and opportunity across public health, education, agriculture, and emergency services. In the Assembly, she serves as Chair of the Committee on Small Business and as a member of the Agriculture, Education, Higher Education, and Veterans’ Affairs Committees, where she champions bipartisan solutions to improve quality of life. Her work reflects a steadfast commitment to ensuring that every family in her district and beyond can live with dignity,
support, and a voice in their future.
