Eight Emergency Medical Services Providers who died while serving and protecting New Yorkers were honored in Albany Tuesday. Governor Kathy Hochul also issued two proclamations to recognize May 21 – May 27 as Emergency Medical Services Week and May 24 as Emergency Medical Services for Children Day. The ceremony to honor the fallen EMS providers took place at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, in observance of EMS Week.
“Today we recognize the ultimate sacrifice made by eight of New York’s brave uniformed public servants,” Governor Hochul said. “My thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones, as these heroes are added to this great memorial. We will never forget their incredible service.”
The memorial ceremony honored the bravery of eight EMS professionals who died as a result of injuries or illnesses incurred in the line of duty. Their names will join the 120 other heroes etched into the New York State EMS Memorial:
- Faye Baughmann – Fire Department of New York (FDNY) Captain who died in October 2020 from illness related to the World Trade Center terror attacks in 2001.
- Richard Chatterton – The FDNY Deputy Chief succumbed in March 2022 to illness related to the WTC attack
- Michael Earley – FDNY Captain Earley participated in rescue and recovery efforts at the WTC site and died of cancer in January 2022.
- Gloria “GiGi” Gordon – The FDNY Lieutenant died in September 2021 from multiple injuries and illnesses from exposure to the WTC attacks.
- Pablo Guzman – A 29-year veteran of the FDNY’s EMS, the Lieutenant lost his battle with WTC-related illness in February 2022.
- Gregory C. Miglino, Sr. – The South Country Ambulance Captain suffered a heart attack while responding to a motor vehicle crash in March 2007 and died the following day.
- Alison Russo – Paramedic Russo was on duty near her Astoria FDNY station quarters in September 2022 when she was assaulted and stabbed to death. The Lieutenant was posthumously promoted to Captain.
- Steven Thorsen – A 27-year EMS veteran, Captain Thorsen succumbed to WTC-related illness in June 2022.
Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “New York owes a huge debt to our fallen EMS providers that we can never repay, and we will never forget. These women and men are true heroes, who put the health and safety of others ahead of their own. We honor their dedication to service and their selfless acts of courage, and offer our heartfelt gratitude to their families, friends, and colleagues.”
The memorial ceremony was part of the 48th annual National EMS Week, during which EMS practitioners are celebrated and the crucial services they provide to safeguard public health, safety, and welfare are recognized. This year’s theme is Where Emergency Care Begins. Emergency Medical technicians (EMTs) include paramedics, physicians, and EMS officers who work with an EMS agency that may be made up of career staff, volunteers, or a combination of staff and volunteers. Every year, more than 4 million calls for care are answered by the roughly 75,000 EMS professionals across the State, who work for 1,700 EMS agencies.
