Two FDNY EMTs Stop a Stabbing in the East Village

October 6, 2016

On Wednesday, October 5, 2016, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) Ryan Gref and Bruce Fonseca of EMS Station 4 at Pier 36 in Manhattan stopped a stabbing from occurring in the East Village, in the evening.

EMTs Gref and Fonseca were responding to a 911 call on 14th street between Avenue A and Avenue B, when they hear a nearby commotion for help. The EMS partners encountered two individuals in a heated argument; the individuals entered the restaurant where the conflict quickly escalated to the assailant holding two twelve inch Sashimi knives.

EMT Fonseca swiftly alerted the EMS Manhattan borough dispatcher to notify the NYPD. Meanwhile, EMT Gref confronted the assailant and removed the knives, subduing the attacker to prevent further harm.

Additional FDNY units quickly arrived to treat and transport both patients for injuries.

EMT Fonseca credits his training. “We’ve received a lot of situational awareness training; we can basically go on the fly with the ever-changing situation, we can adapt and overcome very, very quickly to our environments, outstanding training provided by the Fire Department. My partner saw the opportunity and seized it.”

Situational awareness is the ability to identify, process, and comprehend critical elements of information such as potential dangers, as well as what is occurring around you and your surroundings.

“We both have very outstanding training from the Fire Department,” said EMT Gref. “I really did not have too much time to think, you just have to act. So I acted in the best way I could.”

Station 4 EMS Lieutenant George Russo praised the duo for their quick-thinking to deescalate the situation.

“This is a great example of situational awareness and training we go through to be more aware especially in current climates,” said EMS Lt. Russo. “I think they did a great job, and they did exactly what they were trained to do. Anytime you work in the city, you wind up in situations that are definitely dangerous, and everything that we do every day is dangerous.”