Bronx, NY – (TODAY) On Monday, October 16th, 2023, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson presented FDNY EMS Station 17 with a $350,000 check for a new bariatric ambulance at their fire station on 1080 Ogden Avenue in Highbridge. The 3rd of its kind available to New Yorkers across all five boroughs, bariatric ambulances are modified to carry very large patients.
“I want to thank Deputy Speaker Ayala for her partnership on this project and the FDNY for their ongoing commitment to public safety and to providing emergency medical care for our most vulnerable residents. This $350,000 capital allocation is an investment in our public health infrastructure and has the potential to save lives,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.
The latest findings by the New York State Department of Health show the prevalence of obesity in the Bronx is highest when compared to other boroughs. The new bariatric ambulance unit will join two other bariatric ambulances, one stationed in the Fort Totten section of Queens and the other in the Carroll Gardens section of Brooklyn. According to the FDNY, both service on average, 1,000 residents citywide per year.
The $350,000 was a joint allocation between the Bronx Borough President and NYC Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala.