FDNY's New Class of EMTs Prepares for Frontlines of Pandemic

For three years, Adam Phumalee was a U.S. Marine in Afghanistan fighting terror cells and insurgents. Now he’s in a whole new conflict — as an FDNY Emergency Medical Technician battling COVID-19.

“It’s a different type of war zone, one that I don’t have a lot of experience on,” said Phumalee. “This is not Taliban or Al Qaeda. This is a sickness. Right now I have to handle it day by day."

The former Marine is one of 153 probationary EMTs graduating from the EMS Bureau of Training at Fort Totten in Queens Friday.

The entire academy experience was a study in social distancing: For 13 weeks cadets had to wear face coverings at all times, separate 6 feet apart and take part in smaller groups for classroom education and hands-on exercises.

"We had to be acclimated to the new protocols and be separated at all times, Phumalee, 30, said. “But as long as I have my (personal protective equipment) and wear my gloves I’ll be fine.”

The graduation itself was a closed ceremony, although it was live-streamed on the FDNY’s website.

“This year has confirmed what we in the Department have always known — FDNY Emergency Medical Technicians are vital for the health and safety of our city,” Commissioner Daniel Nigro said Thursday. “Our graduates have received outstanding training and are ready to join the brave men and women of the FDNY who are responding to thousands of medical emergencies every day on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

FDNY Academic Achiever Mike Brockett, the academy class' version of a valedictorian, said that starting one’s career in the middle of a pandemic will be quite a juggling act.

“It’s going to be one of those challenges,” said Brockett, who was a volunteer firefighter in his home town of Stockport, N.Y., before joining the FDNY. “I think everyone in the class is coming out excited to do good and do what we are trained to do, but we are conscious and aware of the pandemic and aware of the dangers of it.”

EMS veterans he spoke to during his training all gave him the same advice: Do whatever you can to help your patient and make sure you don’t bring COVID home to your family.

“After September 11th and the catastrophic losses our Department suffered, many wondered if there would be difficulty finding people willing to do the dangerous work required to save lives in our city. That same question was asked after this past March and April when COVID-19 ravaged our city and placed the men and women of our Department, in particular, our EMTs and Paramedics, on the frontline of this deadly pandemic. Nineteen years ago, people stepped up and joined this Department because they had a passion and drive to serve others and to protect this city. And now, looking out at this group, I see brave young men and women with that same passion and drive to serve, to protect others, to respond to help those in need, and to save lives in New York. You witnessed the extraordinary work of our EMTs throughout this pandemic, responding to a record number of medical emergencies while battling an invisible enemy, and you stepped up to join them,” said Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro to today’s graduating #FDNY Emergency Medical Technicians. Due to COVID-19, today’s socially-distanced ceremony was held without family and friends in attendance.  Chief of EMS Operations Lillian Bonsignore said, “Today we have 153 new Emergency Medical Technicians graduating in our ranks. It really takes your breath away to look at so many men and women who are dedicating their lives to this profession. You are at the beginning of a story that will be told for years to come. You now join the ranks of the most extraordinary and dedicated first responders I have ever known, and you are joining during a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic. I’ve loved this job for nearly three decades, and each day, I get to witness and confirm my love for what each of our EMS members do for this city. We are people of compassion, we are people of commitment, and we are people of service. Today, you are all committing yourselves to saving lives, caring for others, and providing the highest quality of pre-hospital emergency medical care to millions of New Yorkers and visitors.”  View the full ceremony at bit.ly/FDNY102320

“We are going to do our best not to get ourselves sick,” he said. “And the people that are affected. We’re going to try to do the best we can to get them healthy.”

Friday will mark the second EMT graduation since the pandemic started in March.

The graduates will be hitting the street as COVID cases in the city have been reduced, although several hot spots have flared up in Brooklyn and Queens.

FDNY EMS currently responds to about 3,600 emergency calls a day. During the height of the pandemic in March and April, EMS was logging about 6,000 medical calls a day.

Phumalee believes that being a city EMT will be an extension of his patriotic service that he began in the Marines — something he’s dedicated his life to since watching the Twin Towers fall on 9/11.

“I’m being called for service again,” he said. “This time, there’s a pandemic going on.”

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