St. Vincent's hospital officially closed at 8 a.m. today after a morning mass in the hospital chapel and a barbecue in the cafeteria. The closing has left 3,500 workers out of jobs and with few new prospects. One 56-year-old EMT told the Daily News, "This is a young man or young woman's job. I don't know what I'll do next." The workers are also worried about the health of the neighborhood. Ambulances have already been diverted across town to Beth Israel for many emergencies, and the FDNY said they would boost ambulance coverage by 15% on the West Side, but former employees say the services are still stretched too thin.
Former OR manager Nancy Taylor said, "People are going to die. People are going to lose their lives in emergencies" St. Vincent's hospital had been open for 160 years and treated victims of the Titanic disaster and 9/11. They filed for bankruptcy after finding themselves nearly $1 billion in debt. According to NY1, there are signs on the doors alerting people to other available hospitals nearby.
