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My name is Michelle Prentice, and I'm a field paramedic and field training officer in Maricopa County, Arizona. Our biggest fear is running out of personal protective equipment like masks and gowns.
The breadth of the crisis that the 4,500 members of AFSCME Local 2507 (District Council 37), which represents the EMTs, paramedics and fire inspectors of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), are facing is unparalleled.
Davidson works for American Medical Response (AMR), a private company that provides medical transportation services in communities across the country. Even as she and her co-workers are expected to battle a pandemic without precedent, they have to fight for even a minimum amount of respect from their employer.

The 156 members of AFSCME Local 2960/EMS United in Maricopa County, Arizona, signed a 4-year agreement with American Medical Response (AMR), winning a 14 percent wage increase, lower costs for health care and a voice on service quality.

The contract, Local 2960's first with the company, was ratified unanimously by the membership in late February.

“There isn’t one member who is not absolutely excited about the future ahead,” said Brian Weinberg, a Tolleson-based paramedic who joined AMR/Maricopa from its inception.

EMS is one of the most dangerous professions in the country. Unfortunately, the EMTs and paramedics who put their lives on the line every day are up against a broken system.

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Now a paramedic with American Medical Response in Riverside County, California, and a member of AFSCME Local 4911, La Russo became a paramedic by age 20 and has been saving lives for nearly 30 years.
More than 400 emergency medical services (EMS) professionals at Falck Northern California have won their election to join United EMS Workers-AFSCME Local 4911, a victory that will strengthen their efforts to improve the services they provide to their communities.

For Evonne Stevens, a 14-year veteran 911 dispatcher, the night of one of California’s deadliest wildfires began innocuously enough. A co-worker’s kid was interviewing her for a school report. He wanted to know what a typical workday looked like.

“It’s kind of ironic now,” said Stevens, a member of United EMS Workers (AFSCME Local 4911).  “I said that on a typical night we might get a car accident, maybe an elderly person falling down.”

HOUSTON – During what may be the worst natural disaster in Texas history, AFSCME public service workers and first responders are making heroic efforts to keep people alive, restore essential services and protect property.

More than 100 paramedics and advanced emergency medical technicians (EMTs) at American Medical Response (AMR) in New England are receiving an average raise of 21.1 percent this week, thanks to members of AFSCME Local 4911.

After a year of tough negotiations with the private company, members ratified an agreement that will begin to bring wages up to par with other providers of emergency medical services (EMS) in the region.

In life’s most frightening moments, emergency medical service practitioners stand between us and tragedy. EMS Week, which kicks off today, is a time to thank them for everything they do. With skill, courage and dedication, EMS workers serve on the front lines of society, providing care in the most perilous conditions – often at great cost to themselves.AFSCME is proud to represent more than 25,000 of these brave women and men, and has been fighting alongside them for the right to organize, for better working conditions in often hostile workplaces and better mental health treatment.