GRAVE CONCERNS: Crisis at NYU Langone Hospital Reveals Broader NYC EMS Crisis
Politicians "Fiddle" While EMS Workers Grapple with Substandard Working Conditions, Equipment, and Allegations of Mismanagement, Hostile Work Environments, and Anti-Semitism
By Frankie Pressman with Richard Luthmann
As previously reported by this outlet, emergency medical services (EMS) workers at NYU Langone Hospital confront alarmingly inadequate conditions. The crisis highlights concerns not only at that medical center but also systemic failures and emerging concerns about leadership integrity throughout NYC’s EMS system.
Many are left wondering when the next avoidable catastrophe will happen and what New York’s elected officials are doing to prevent this crisis.
The personnel room for EMS staff at NYU Langone in Manhattan is critically undersized and devoid of essential amenities such as running water, lockers, and restrooms, which epitomizes these issues.
"The department has been aware of this for some time, and nothing has improved," disclosed an EMS worker, underscoring the administration's ongoing neglect. This cramped 5x5 space, designated to accommodate 24 employees per 12-hour shift, lacks even the most basic hygiene facilities, posing severe health risks, especially when staff must decontaminate after emergency responses.
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Operational challenges are further compounded by questionable leadership decisions attributed to EMS Directors, like NYU Langone’s Mitch Powell.
Workers, speaking under conditions of anonymity for fear of retaliation, report a persistent refusal to provide adequate protective gear despite explicit provisions in union contracts. "My hospital won’t provide fitting bunker gear for the full-timers because 'we can’t afford it'—yet it’s written in our union contracts," a worker lamented, pointing to a blatant disregard for worker safety and contractual obligations.
Maintenance of critical EMS equipment and vehicles is also subpar, "adversely affecting our health" and increasing the department's environmental footprint. This neglect is part of broader accusations involving Powell at NYU Langone, who faces scrutiny over unethical practices, including informal dealings with a garage for vehicle maintenance and possible personal gains from vendor relationships intended for EMS equipment, and lies to top hospital management, including Billionaire philanthropist Ken Langone.
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Discriminatory practices exacerbate these challenges, with EMS employees inappropriately utilized for staffing needs, leading to "discrepancies, discrimination, and back-channeling." Such misuse of personnel forces employees into roles that deviate from their original job descriptions, violating organizational bylaws.
The state of EMS equipment further reduces the quality of care possible.
"Everything you would hope that someone coming to potentially extend your lifespan for as long as possible—not quite up to par," remarked a frontline worker about the barely compliant and often inadequate equipment. “How about the promise from the Fire Department in the 90s of faster responder times? I wouldn’t count on it.”
Internal cultural issues, including reported anti-Semitism, create a hostile and unfavorable working environment. This is worsened by an HR department criticized for being "so far detached from reality for PR purposes," unable to address or mitigate these critical issues effectively.
We previously heard from NYU Langone Medical Center Senior Media Relations Director Steve Ritea.
Mr. Ritea said:
Dear Mr. Luthmann and Mr. Pressman,
Your recent posting, “NYU Langone EMS Workers Cry Foul Over Squalid Conditions, Kickback Allegations,” does not accurately reflect the facts of this matter. Please know that NYU Langone has fully investigated these claims and found nothing to substantiate the allegations.
We asked for clarification about the facts. Mr. Ritea responded, “We cannot share a confidential investigation.”
We continued investigating and found increasingly questionable activities by Mitch Powell and the NYU Langone EMS Department.
NYU Langone EMS Workers Cry Foul Over Squalid Conditions, Kickback Allegations
As NYU Langone's EMS workers call for urgent reforms to address these dire conditions, their situation reflects broader concerns about the hospital's commitment to safety, dignity, and effectiveness in vital services.
"This is a surreal time to be alive. Everything is like a Boeing airplane. Looks great on the outside but is absolutely falling apart," a worker noted, capturing the stark contrast between external perceptions and internal realities.
Workers’ plight underscores the urgent need for decisive action and transparency to restore trust and ensure the safety of EMS frontline responders and the community they serve.
Maybe NYS Governor Kathy Hochul and US Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand can help. After all, every major hospital in NYC receives public money from the federal government. The Governor also has broad powers to serve the public welfare.
Or maybe they’ll just continue to dig NYC’s EMS system’s grave.
