Alteration Of a NYS EMT Patch?

[x635 4,066]

If you are wearing a NYS EMT or Paramedic patch, is it legal to alter the patch? For example, an agency replaces the blue stitches with red stitches, and adds their logo. Can this still be considered an "official" patch?

[FF/EMT668 1]

EMS company I used to be with changed the colors and the region said nothing about it. After all, there are more than one NYS EMT/Medic style of patches out there.

[RushTheBus 10]

I could be wrong, but I don't believe there is an "official" NYS patch for EMTs or Paramedics. The blue tombstone, and the orange shoulder patch are certainly the most common, but I don't believe there is an official NYSDOH approved uniform patch.

[SteveC7010 58]

If you are wearing a NYS EMT or Paramedic patch, is it legal to alter the patch? For example, an agency replaces the blue stitches with red stitches, and adds their logo. Can this still be considered an "official" patch?

There has never been an "official" EMT or Paramedic patch authorized by NYS DOH BEMS. It would be legit, however, for an agency or local government to adopt an official patch for their people, but that would only apply to people working within those agencies affected.

FDNY long ago had a modified version of the yellow or orange tombstone EMT patch. They pop up on Ebay once in a while.

The yellow/orange tombstone was the closest to an official patch that happened in the past. The NYSP look-alike patches are currently very popular, but again, not official, at least by DOH authorization.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

The person that needs his or her life saved by you does not give a poop what color your patch is. Patch's we don't need no stinking patch's !