Who this page is for
NYC is the only city in this set where "get hired by the fire department" splits into two completely separate hiring processes. Before anything else, know which one you're reading about.
- Prospective EMT students in the five boroughs choosing between CUNY, private, and hospital-sponsored programs
- Aspiring FDNY EMS members. The FDNY Bureau of EMS is the primary 911 ambulance provider in NYC. Hiring is via Civil Service Exam #6053 (EMT) or #6054 (Trainee).
- Aspiring FDNY Firefighters. FDNY Fire (suppression) is a separate Civil Service title. EMT is not required at hire and carries no bonus points on the firefighter exam.
These are distinct career paths with separate exams, separate academies, separate unions, and separate pay scales. They share a commissioner and a patch, not a hiring list.
The crossover between them is institutionalized. A permanent FDNY EMS member can file for the Promotion-to-Firefighter exam, and that promotion list is called before the open-competitive firefighter list. If that's your plan, read the FDNY section below carefully; it's the biggest single differentiator in the NYC EMS market.
EMT programs in NYC and the metro
Six programs cover most of the prospective-EMT volume in the five boroughs. CUNY dominates. Four of these six are CUNY schools. Tuition and admissions are pulled from each program's official page.
| Program | Borough | Format | Cost (current) | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaGuardia Community College (CUNY). Continuing Ed EMT | Queens (Long Island City) | 208 hours over 2–4 months | $1,690 flat (textbook + uniform polo included; no financial aid) | 97% NYS DOH pass rate over the last 30 years, program-reported; high-volume pipeline into FDNY EMS |
| Borough of Manhattan CC (BMCC / CUNY). Paramedic A.A.S. | Manhattan (TriBeCa) | 2-year A.A.S. (61 credits); 5-semester option available | CUNY in-state $2,400/semester full-time; $265/credit part-time resident | CAAHEP-accredited paramedic degree track; current NYS EMT cert required before EMC 101 |
| Kingsborough Community College (KCC / CUNY) | Brooklyn (Manhattan Beach) | EMT-B (fall/spring); Paramedic A.A.S. 60 credits with three entry tracks | CUNY tuition schedule; contact program | First college-based paramedic program in Brooklyn (NYSDOH-approved April 1, 2013); clinicals at Maimonides, SUNY Downstate, NYU Lutheran |
| Hostos Community College (CUNY). EMT-Basic | Bronx | NYS-BEMS-aligned EMT-B curriculum | Contact Continuing Ed (718-518-6656) | Only CUNY community-college EMT-B option in the Bronx |
| NYU Grossman School of Medicine. EMT Program | Brooklyn (Industry City) | 18 weeks; fall and spring cohorts | Not publicly listed | Academic-medical-center sponsorship; ACLS / BLS / PALS / PHTLS alongside EMT-B |
| City College of New York (CCNY / CUNY). EMT Cert | Manhattan (Hamilton Heights) | Continuing Professional Studies; delivered in partnership with Rescue Training International | Contact CPS office | CCNY's program page details were not accessible at the time of writing. Confirm before applying |
LaGuardia's 208-hour flat-price bootcamp is the most commonly-cited entry point for candidates specifically targeting the FDNY EMS Trainee exam. BMCC and KCC are the routes for candidates who want a paramedic A.A.S. degree from a CUNY community college.
Salary and demand
BLS OEWS data for the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ MSA (code 35620), May 2024. The MSA was renamed in 2024. It was formerly NY-NJ-PA.
| Role | MSA median | State median | National median |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMT (SOC 29-2042) | $48,000 | $46,000 | $41,340 |
| Paramedic (SOC 29-2043) | $76,060 | $66,420 | $58,410 |
Source: BLS OEWS MSA 35620; national baselines. MSA employment is ~13,260 EMTs and ~3,750 paramedics, the largest EMT workforce of any MSA in the country.
BLS projects 6% combined EMT/paramedic employment growth nationally, 2023–2033, with ~19,000 openings per year from growth plus replacement (BLS OOH).
The FDNY path. Two parallel workforces
This is the section that matters. FDNY is one department, but EMS and Fire are functionally separate career systems. Read the sub-section that matches the job you actually want.
FDNY EMS (Bureau of EMS). The 911 ambulance workforce
The FDNY Bureau of EMS is the primary 911 EMS provider for the five boroughs. The largest fire-department-based EMS system in the United States. As of October 10, 2025, the Bureau's uniformed headcount was 4,549 (2,818 EMTs, 967 paramedics, 77 trainees, 687 officers).
- Recruiting: JoinFDNY. EMS
- How hiring works: Open-competitive Civil Service exam administered by the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). Two titles:
- Emergency Medical Specialist – EMT (Exam #6053). Requires a valid NYS DOH EMT-B or EMT-P certification at the close of the filing period.
- Emergency Medical Specialist Trainee (Exam #6054). For candidates who do NOT yet hold NYS EMT cert. Requires HS diploma + 6 months full-time work, honorable military discharge, 15 college credits, OR graduation from a designated feeder high school (Clara Barton HS, FDNY Capt. Vernon A. Richard HS). FDNY trains trainees to EMT-B at the EMS Academy at Fort Totten, Queens.
- Filing for Exam #6053 / #6054 was open through November 25, 2025.
- Selection pipeline: Exam score + education/experience → list number → medical & psychological screening → academy class, in list-number order. Academy at Fort Totten runs 18–20 weeks depending on prior EMT-B status.
- EMT pay scale (per JoinFDNY): starting $43,932 – $49,816; reaching $68,700 – $76,028 after 5 years.
- Paramedic pay scale: starting $58,088 – $63,974; reaching $86,348 – $95,243 after 5 years.
- Paramedic is a promotion-only internal title. You cannot be hired directly as an FDNY paramedic off the street. You enter as an EMT, complete probation, sit the Civil Service paramedic promotional exam, and. If selected. Attend FDNY's paramedic course. Officer ranks (Lieutenant, Captain) follow the same internal-promotion pattern and are represented by Local 3621.
FDNY Firefighter (suppression). A separate Civil Service title
- Recruiting: JoinFDNY. Firefighter
- EMT is NOT required at hire, and. Critically. Having an EMT certification confers no additional points on the firefighter exam. If your only reason for getting EMT-B was "it helps the firefighter application," it doesn't, not for FDNY.
- What IS required by end of probation: Certified First Responder – Defibrillation (CFR-D). This is trained at the Proby academy. The cost is recovered via a $30/pay-period payroll deduction until paid off. Failure to obtain CFR-D by the end of probation = termination.
- Current open-competitive exam: Firefighter Exam #4044, filing 3/6/2024 – 5/21/2024. Open-competitive age: under 29 at start of filing; at least 21 at appointment. DCAS notice of examination (PDF).
- Prior cycle: Firefighter Exam #7001 (2017 filing), list still being worked historically.
Crossover: FDNY EMS → FDNY Firefighter
This is institutionalized. It's also the single biggest driver of EMS attrition, because FDNY firefighters earn roughly double the salary of FDNY EMTs at equivalent tenure.
- Permanent civil-service EMTs and paramedics in the Bureau of EMS can file for the Promotion to Firefighter exam. Candidates who pass the written + physical + medical + psych portions are placed on the Promotion to Firefighter list.
- The Promotion list is called before the open-competitive list. This is the mechanical advantage an FDNY EMS member has over a civilian applying to Fire.
- Age waiver: In 2023, the NYC Council passed one-time legislation allowing an age-cap exception for Bureau of EMS members who would otherwise have aged out of the 2024 Promotion-to-Firefighter exam because of COVID-19 exam delays.
If you're specifically planning EMS-to-Fire, understand this is a documented, two-to-five-year plan. Not a back-door. And the pay gap is why it exists.
New York State licensure
- Authority: NYS Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems (BEMS).
- Certification levels: CFR, EMT-Basic, Advanced EMT-Intermediate (AEMT-I), Advanced EMT-Critical Care (AEMT-CC. Unique to NY), and Advanced EMT-Paramedic (AEMT-P).
- Minimum age: 17 by end of exam month for EMT-B.
- Cognitive exam. As of BEMS Policy 24-06, effective Sept 17, 2024: NYS now accepts two pathways: (1) the State-administered exam, or (2) the NREMT cognitive exam. NY was the 50th state to formally recognize NREMT as a pathway to state certification. If you use the NREMT route, you must submit NREMT results via the BEMS EMS Forms page or certification won't be processed.
- Attempts / window: 3 attempts per eligibility; 2 years from End-of-Course date to pass cognitive.
- Reciprocity for out-of-state applicants is handled via NYS DOH's reciprocity page.
- Regional structure: NYS EMS is administered through 18 Regional EMS Councils (REMSCOs), each with a companion Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (REMAC) providing physician oversight and protocols. The Regional EMS Council of New York City (NYC REMSCO) covers all five boroughs (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond). NYC REMAC writes NYC-specific ALS protocols and administers the NYC paramedic credentialing exam.
FAQ
Real questions from public forums (EMTLIFE, Quora). Reddit search was not accessible during research.
Do firefighters in the FDNY have to be certified as EMTs? If not, what happens if they come across someone who needs medical attention?
No. FDNY firefighters are not required to be EMTs at hire, and an EMT certification gives no bonus points on the firefighter exam. What they DO obtain, by end of the probationary academy, is CFR-D (Certified First Responder – Defibrillation), which covers BLS-level airway, CPR, AED, and basic trauma care. On a medical call, FDNY engine companies respond as CFR-D units; patient transport is handled by FDNY EMS ambulances or by a hospital-based voluntary ambulance (see Local Context). (Quora discussion; JoinFDNY Firefighter.)
Can firefighters who aren't in EMS be paramedics at FDNY?
No. FDNY Fire and FDNY EMS are separate Civil Service titles. FDNY paramedic is a promotion-only internal title inside the Bureau of EMS. You have to be hired as an FDNY EMT first, pass probation, sit the paramedic promotional exam, and complete FDNY's paramedic course. A firefighter cannot hold a paramedic rank as a firefighter. (Quora; JoinFDNY EMS.)
I got my list number for FDNY EMS. What does it mean and how long until I'm called?
Your list number is your position on the Civil Service eligibility list for Exam #6053 (EMT) or #6054 (Trainee). FDNY calls candidates in list-number order. Medical screening, psych, then academy class. Glassdoor-reported median from filing to hire is ~242 days, but this varies widely with academy-class cadence. A list number in the low 100s typically means multiple academy classes will be called before you. This is the most common question on EMTLIFE's FDNY EMS Candidates threads. No one outside DCAS can tell you precisely when your number will be reached.
Should I appeal my FDNY EMS exam score?
DCAS exams permit a formal appeal window on contested questions. Whether to appeal depends on the specific question(s) and the point value. The EMTLIFE thread from the Exam #3024 cycle includes real candidate discussion of appeal strategy. The short version is that appeals occasionally move candidates up a list number but rarely change hiring outcomes dramatically. The DCAS Notice of Examination for your specific exam cycle will list the appeal procedure.
Was it legal for the city to move 82 firefighter trainees into EMT roles?
This question reflects real public confusion about the crossover between FDNY's two workforces. The 82-trainee reassignment was discussed publicly in this Quora thread and in union coverage. Mechanically: FDNY Fire and FDNY EMS are separate Civil Service titles, so moving a probationary firefighter into an EMT role is not a simple internal transfer. It requires action on the EMT Civil Service list. The episode illustrates why the two titles are structurally separate, not a single fungible workforce.
Can I take the NREMT exam and use it for New York State EMT certification?
Yes, as of September 17, 2024. BEMS Policy 24-06 made NY the 50th state to accept NREMT as a pathway to state certification. You can sit either the NYS-administered cognitive exam or the NREMT cognitive exam. If you use the NREMT route, submit results via the BEMS EMS Forms page or your certification won't process.
What's the pay difference between FDNY EMT, FDNY paramedic, and FDNY firefighter?
From the official JoinFDNY recruiting pages: FDNY EMT starts at $43,932 – $49,816 and reaches $68,700 – $76,028 after five years. FDNY paramedic (internal promotion only) starts at $58,088 – $63,974 and reaches $86,348 – $95,243 after five years. FDNY firefighter total compensation at equivalent tenure is roughly double the EMT figure. This pay gap is the most-cited driver of the EMS-to-Fire crossover pipeline and the ongoing policy debate over splitting EMS from FDNY.
Local context worth knowing
NYC's 911 EMS system is structurally unique in the United States, and knowing the history clarifies why the EMS/Fire split exists.
On March 17, 1996, Mayor Rudy Giuliani merged the ambulance operations of NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation (then known as NYC EMS) into the FDNY, creating the FDNY Bureau of EMS. That merger is why the two uniformed workforces now share a commissioner but not a contract, academy, or pay scale.
FDNY EMS handles roughly two-thirds of daily 911 ambulance tours. The remaining ~33–37% of 911 tours are run by hospital-based voluntary ambulance systems. Operationally identical to FDNY units, dispatched by FDNY EMS, and displaying FDNY EMS insignia on cab doors, but staffed by hospital employees. The major voluntary operators include Mount Sinai EMS (19 ambulances, ~70,000 calls/year), NewYork-Presbyterian, Northwell, Maimonides, NYU Langone, Jamaica Hospital, Flushing Hospital, Richmond University Medical Center, and Wyckoff. If you want 911 EMS work in NYC without taking the FDNY Civil Service exam, the voluntaries are a real alternative.
Union representation splits along the EMS/Fire line. DC 37 Local 2507 represents ~4,200 uniformed EMTs, paramedics, and fire inspectors; DC 37 Local 3621 represents ~505 uniformed EMS officers (lieutenants and captains). FDNY firefighters are represented separately by the UFA (Uniformed Firefighters Association) and UFOA (Uniformed Fire Officers Association).
The pay gap between the two workforces, with top-pay FDNY EMT total compensation at ~$68k vs. firefighters at roughly double that at equivalent tenure, is the central controversy in FDNY labor politics. EMS1's ongoing coverage and NYC Council testimony document a live policy debate over whether the 1996 merger should be reversed. For a candidate, the practical implication is: the EMS-to-Fire crossover pipeline isn't just common, it's a structural feature of the system. Plan accordingly.
Sources
- FDNY Bureau of EMS. JoinFDNY
- FDNY Firefighter. JoinFDNY
- DCAS Notice of Examination. Firefighter #4044 (PDF)
- DCAS Notice of Examination. Promotion to Firefighter #4528 (PDF)
- NYS DOH Bureau of EMS. Certification
- BEMS Policy 24-06. NREMT recognition (PDF)
- NYC Regional EMS Council (NYC REMSCO)
- BLS OEWS May 2024. NY-Newark-Jersey City MSA 35620
- BLS OOH. EMTs and Paramedics
- DC 37 Local 2507
- EMS1. Should NYC split EMS from FDNY?
- Program pages linked in the programs table (LaGuardia, BMCC, KCC, Hostos, NYU Langone, CCNY)