New York is under siege. Our neighborhoods are plagued by crime and violence. No one is safe.
As an emergency medical technician and paramedic, I have seen things that I will never forget. Lives turned upside down at a moment’s notice.
When we arrive at a scene, our options are limited. In the case of a crime, the victim has already been injured or killed. We cannot turn back time to right the wrong. The perpetrators are long gone.
Just like performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation before a trained emergency responder arrives can help save the life of someone in cardiac arrest, exercising your Second Amendment rights can be the difference between life and death on the streets of our concrete jungle.
Growing up on Staten Island, I was introduced to firearms at a young age. I started a self-defense company to equip and empower women. I teach situational awareness, firearms safety, and non-lethal and lethal ways to protect yourself.
Above all, we teach students a simple concept: Be your own first responder. We want women to know that the government will not save them, law-enforcement officers will take time to respond, and that the ball is in your court. The outcome is up to you.
With crime amplified on social media, we have seen an uptick of small-business owners in New York scheduling training sessions. They are scared and understand their role as “first responder.” They want every tool to stop criminals seeking to inflict harm. These men and women are the backbone of our community. While we are honored to train and equip them, sadly, we can’t alleviate all their concerns.
While New York citizens experience overwhelming crime, politicians refuse to respond. Many are siding with the criminals and publicly chastise those who attempt to protect their lives and livelihoods.
When it comes to self-defense, the “public servants” in power hire personal security teams to protect them while scolding gun owners who want to keep loved ones safe.
This backward, dangerous approach was on display last month in Queens when Francisco Valerio and his brother, Luis, caught two men trying to steal from their family-owned liquor store. After confronting the shoplifters, shots were fired, and Francisco Valerio — not the criminals who were caught red-handed — faces seven years in prison. How does that make any sense? Protecting your person and property is a constitutional right — not a punishable offense.
We can expect this vicious cycle to continue. Criminals will be wreaking havoc on our streets and businesses while the judicial system refuses to hold the perpetrators of violence and crime accountable. It’s easy to feel powerless and trapped, but you have a simple choice: Do you want to be a victim, or do you want to be your own first responder? Do you trust the government to save you, or will you exercise the rights enshrined in the Constitution for safety and security?
It is my sincere hope that politicians will wake up and realize the effort of their ways (or be voted out of office). I have realistic expectations. That’s why my prayer is for law-abiding New Yorkers to assess our conditions — a city under siege — and prepare accordingly. When my ambulance arrives on the scene, I hope to encounter a “first responder” — not a victim.
