OP-ED: Ed Donnelly’s Political Games Are Undermining EMS in New Jersey

Published: July 22, 2025

For years, New Jersey’s EMS professionals — EMTs and paramedics who work alongside firefighters and police officers — have operated without the protections and recognition afforded to other first responders. In 2025, the fact that EMS is still not classified as an essential service in New Jersey is not just outdated — it’s offensive.

So when the New Jersey FMBA, the state’s powerful firefighters’ union, recently released a glowing bulletin praising a bill that would finally designate EMS as essential, the announcement raised more eyebrows than applause — especially for those who’ve been following the issue closely.

The real story isn’t the FMBA’s sudden enthusiasm for the bill. The real story is how long they worked to prevent it, specifically under the direction of their president, Ed Donnelly.

According to Marco Navarro — a Republican candidate for the New Jersey State Assembly in LD-37, a U.S. Marine veteran, and a current EMT in the Hudson County area — the FMBA’s about-face isn’t about principle or progress. It’s about politics. Navarro has been championing this initiative long before the launch of his campaign, calling it a matter of common sense and public safety. But when an elected legislator expressed interest in introducing a version of the bill — after being informed of Navarro’s support — Donnelly reacted not with collaboration, but with condescension and coercion.

Donnelly, by Navarro’s account, bullied the legislator, sending a letter that attempted to derail the effort altogether. Why? Because he wasn’t the one who came up with the idea first. Rather than support a measure that would benefit the very EMS professionals his union claims to represent, Donnelly chose to protect his political turf.

Now that the primary elections are behind us and political conditions have shifted, Donnelly and the FMBA are attempting to rebrand themselves as the architects of EMS reform. It’s not just disingenuous — it’s insulting to those who have been fighting for these changes from day one.

Let’s be clear: EMS personnel in New Jersey have been second-class citizens in the emergency services system for far too long. And many inside the FMBA will tell you that EMS has routinely been treated as an afterthought by union leadership. Navarro, who regularly speaks with firefighters and EMS professionals statewide, says the frustration is loud and clear: they feel overlooked and underrepresented.

Donnelly had every chance to lead on this issue. Instead, he used his position to block it until he could control the narrative. That’s not advocacy. That’s ego. And it’s exactly the kind of political behavior that keeps progress stalled in Trenton.

It takes real courage to stand up to that kind of power. Navarro is doing exactly that — and so did the legislator Donnelly tried to intimidate. In politics, as in public service, leadership means putting people before power. Unfortunately, Donnelly chose the latter.

It’s time for a serious, statewide conversation about how we treat EMS in New Jersey. And it’s time for leadership that doesn’t wait for the spotlight to do the right thing.

If EMS truly matters — not just as a talking point, but as a pillar of public safety — then we should all be asking: Where was Ed Donnelly when it counted? And why should we believe him now?

Navarro released a statement via social media. See his full statement.

Statement on Ed Donnelly’s Disgraceful Conduct and the Fight to Make EMS Essential in New Jersey

As a proud union supporter, a lifelong public servant, and a candidate for the New Jersey State Assembly, I want to make one thing clear: I support strong unions that advocate fiercely for the rights, safety, and dignity of their members. I support the FMBA and its mission to protect our brave firefighters and EMS professionals. But I will never support the kind of arrogance, political bullying, and disgraceful behavior recently displayed by Ed Donnelly, president of the FMBA.

Let’s be honest. New Jersey is long overdue in designating EMS as an essential service. Police and fire departments are already considered essential, and rightfully so. Yet, every day, our EMTs and paramedics respond to emergencies, save lives, and work under extreme pressure without the protections or recognition they deserve. It is nothing short of shameful that in 2025 we are still debating whether these heroes should be treated as essential.

The recent NJ FMBA bulletin praising the so-called “Essential EMS Bill” is not a sign of leadership. It’s a blatant act of political hypocrisy, and New Jersey’s EMS professionals deserve better.

Let’s be honest: this sudden support for EMS comes only after the primary elections are behind us and only once Ed Donnelly, FMBA President, found a way to insert himself into the spotlight. Months ago, when a strong, principled legislator took the initiative to introduce this very type of bill, after hearing about my unwavering support and commitment to make EMS an essential service, Donnelly didn’t back the effort. He didn’t offer help. He tried to kill it.

Ed Donnelly used his position not to uplift EMS professionals, but to bully an elected official, attempting to silence them and stop the bill simply because he wasn’t the one who thought of it first. That’s not leadership, that’s narcissism dressed up as advocacy. He prioritized his own political ego over the needs of the men and women in EMS who have been ignored and undervalued for far too long.

Now, after trying to bury this initiative, Donnelly and the FMBA release a bulletin acting like they’ve led the charge all along. Let’s be clear: this is nothing more than a strategic about-face, designed to rewrite history and make it look like they’ve always had EMS in their corner.

But the people on the ground, EMS and fire personnel alike, know better. I hear it from FMBA members themselves: EMS is constantly treated as a second-class priority within the organization. They’ve been overlooked, underrepresented, and pushed aside for years. If Ed Donnelly truly cared about making EMS essential, this would have been done a long time ago.

Instead, when the opportunity arose to show real leadership, by supporting a legislator willing to take the political risk and move the bill forward, Donnelly chose political gamesmanship. He chose division over unity. He chose to protect his pride rather than protect EMS professionals.

Let me be clear: Ed Donnelly does not speak for EMS professionals across this state who are crying out for recognition and respect. And he certainly does not have the authority to bully elected officials, reminder Ed the people elected them as their legislators, not you.

I remain committed to the mission I began from the start: to get EMS the recognition, protections, and respect it deserves. Not because it’s politically advantageous, but because it’s the right thing to do.

Let’s stop pretending Ed Donnelly is leading the charge. He’s following, and only after trying to block the path first. This isn’t about politics. It’s about people. It’s about the countless EMTs and paramedics who deserve better.