FDNY*EMS Badges

[Guest]

I have heard rumor that FDNY*EMS is being issued badges to wear off duty. Any one know any other information on that?

[Guest]

I can think of better things to spend the money on...

[MGMedic 0]

They are being issued starting today. They are not to be worn on duty at any time. Off duty only. You also can't keep them once you leave the service. They must be returned with your ID card. Although I have seen them, i wouldn't know how to describe them. Someone said that they look like the Fire Marshall shields. They are supposed to be a moral booster (are you kidding me!?!?!) and yes......there are lots of better things to spend money on. Check out www.fdnyinsider.org

[Guest]

That is a ridiculous idea. Also a lot of legal issues come with this that may be more trouble for FDNY that it is worth!

[mikerabbit 2]

What type of legal issues do you forcast. Seems like everybody and their mother is running around with some type of shield. At least now they will all be uniform. Many guys get the old NYC EMS shields made to carry now.

[Guest]

Mikerabbit: In my department we are required to wear badges ON DUTY but if that is not bad enough we have had people go and obtain badge holders for belts and necklace badge holders (Undercover cop style) and wear these out in public under the false pretense that they may be a cop.

Also Ive investigated and facilitated termination of an employee who has brandished his badge off duty in local fast food restuarants demanding a "cops discount".

Safety is another issue. To all the human cockroaches we all have to deal with....A badge to them always has a cop behind it. Even if they can read whats engraved on a shield they are not going to stop from killing a "cop" if thats their intention.

This FDNY Off duty shield thing is a bad idea.

[Guest WolfEMT]

Safety is another issue. To all the human cockroaches we all have to deal with....A badge to them always has a cop behind it. Even if they can read whats engraved on a shield they are not going to stop from killing a "cop" if thats their intention.  

Exactly. A friend of mine is a paid EMT in Perth Amboy, NJ. About six months ago, there was an incident in which a perp shot his victim after a drug sale went bad. At the time EMS showed up, the perp had not been located, and since at the time, Perth Amboy EMS uniforms were identical to the Perth Amboy PD uniforms, there was much anxiety as to whether or not the perp was still on the rooftop and if he would mistakenly ID an EMT for a cop. Shortly thereafter, Perth Amboy EMS was absorbed by the Fire Department and their uniforms were redesigned with the safety consideration in mind.

FDNY EMS "off duty" badges are a bad idea both from the safety standpoint and the practicality standpoint. An EMT/Paramedic can easily be mistaken for a cop if he/she has a badge. Secondly, what will it accomplish? What would flashing a badge do that showing a department issued ID with rank (EMT/Paramedic) can't do?

[tbendick 27]

FDNY EMS "off duty" badges are a bad idea both from the safety standpoint and the practicality standpoint. An EMT/Paramedic can easily be mistaken for a cop if he/she has a badge. Secondly, what will it accomplish? What would flashing a badge do that showing a department issued ID with rank (EMT/Paramedic) can't do?

Ok I think there is some confusion on the Badge issue here.

NYC-EMS use to issue bages to all members. The badges were pretty much exactly the same as NYPD. (Not the best idea) Sure some people loved that idea, but not for the right reasons. NYC-EMS also wore the badges on the work duty uniform in the same manor as nypd.

After EMS changed to FDNY the badges were all revoked and no longer considered official and that they were now just history type item. Badges were no longer issued pending a new style and system. Many new members went and had fake badges made in the old style. However FDNY doesn't wear badges on any of the uniforms.

All FDNY ranks except EMS have allways been issued a badge along with an ID card. EMS has requested that badgs be reissued and now the Department has made a new style badge not looking like NYPD and has begun to issue them.

These new bages are something that is to be carried with the ID card. Sanitation and every other uniformed city agency have badges EMS simply wanted to keep the tradition going.

As far as all this legal stuff. the new badges should make no issue. The old NYPD style that people have could be. Along with the non FDNY people who have had thier uniforms made to match things like ESU. To the point I had a hard time telling it was a EMS person.

[MGMedic 0]

"badges? we don' need no stinkin badges!"

[JBE 328]

I liked the old badges.

[BFD1054 1,552]

This may seem like a dumb question.....What is the purpose of carrying an "off-duty" EMS shield? In all honesty, what is the purpose of carrying an EMS shield at all? If you are providing patient care, wheather you are on or off duty, a shield really doesn't mean much. Your State DOH EMT cert card is what you should be carrying. Anyone can really go get an EMS or FD shield made up, most places wouldn't question your credentials. If you have an "on-duty" shield, why couldn't you carry that? So i was just curious as to the purpose of "off-duty" shields?

I too agree that this is a big waste of funds on the Citys part. You figure badges go for $40 or $50 each & how many EMT's & Paramedics are there that these will be issued to? Thats a whole lot of money being wasted in my opinion.

[Guest]

This may seem like a dumb question.....What is the purpose of carrying an "off-duty" EMS shield?  In all honesty, .

Answer BUFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BUFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cry: :cry: