Provides for benefits for certain emergency medical technicians in the city of New York who suffer any condition or impairment of health caused by a stroke…

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Robert Jackson says this is needed

In chapter six hundred ninety-five of the laws of 2002, the Legislature enacted a "Heart Bill" to establish a presumption for New York city fire department EMTs and Paramedics who became totally or partially disabled as a result of heart disease that such disease or injury was incurred in the performance of the duty unless proven to the contrary. The law conferred upon those EMTs and paramedics the same presumption that had previously been accorded to New York city firefighters and police offi- cers. With the enactment of the EMT Heart Bill, the Legislature recog- nized that work performed by EMTs and Paramedics requires the same kinds of physical exertion and stress as the work performed by these other uniformed personnel, and that a consequence is that, just like fire- fighters and police officers, EMTs and Paramedics face an increased likelihood of disabling heart disease that is attributable to their work as emergency first responders. The EMT Heart Bill was an important and much-needed reform. However, the bill does not extend to disabling events commonly understood to arise from the same occupational hazards. In particular, the Heart Bill has not been applied to those who have suffered disabling illness or injury from strokes. Epidemiological studies of this nature were the predicate for the Heart Disease presumptions that are now in place for uniformed forces. Given the evidence that the vulnerability to strokes is a simi- lar risk for these individuals, it is appropriate that they should obtain the benefit of such a presumption if they experience disabling strokes during their careers. Notably, the Legislature has included strokes among the disabling conditions for which firefighters may assert a presumption that the strokes emanated from the performance of their duties. See General Municipal Law Section 207-k. EMTs and Paramedics deserve the same benefit. Like other uniformed personnel, they put their lives on the line every day to save the lives of citizens of this state. We, as citizens should support them when they are disabled as a result of their work, and they should be entitled to the same protections that firefighters are provided.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.