Alison Russo-Elling stabbing: EMS worker planned to retire in 6 months to spend time with family
QUEENS, NEW YORK CITY: Alison Russo-Elling, an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) lieutenant who was at Ground Zero after 9/11 as a first responder, was stabbed to death while helping a patient less than a block away from her station house in Queens on Thursday, Sept 29. Russo-Elling was a 24-year FDNY veteran who was set to retire in about six months in order to spend more time with her daughter and grandkids.
Elling's shocked colleagues said that Alison had “dedicated her life to saving others." Vincent Variale, president of Local 3621, spoke to reporters outside the hospital where Russo-Elling later died, and revealed that the 9/11 hero “was about six or seven months away from retirement, she was talking about it.”
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The 61-year-old EMS lieutanant was once a police officer who resided on Long Island and served out of Station 49 in Astoria. In March of 1998, she became an emergency medical technician with the New York City Fire Department. In 2002, she was advanced to the position of a paramedic, and in 2016, she was elevated to the rank of lieutenant. During the course of her employment, she was employed at a number of different emergency medical services (EMS) stations, some of which include Station 20, Station 17, Station 16, Station 45, Queens Tactical Response Group, and Station 49. Russo-Elling was there for the rescue and recovery activities at the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2011.
“Alison was the sweetest, kindest person you’ve ever met,” Variale said, adding that they spoke just last week. “She was also very brave.” The death of Russo-Elling was described as "heartbreaking" by a former coworker who had attended college with her in 1996 and had worked with her in Queens. Capt. Mike Daddona of EMS Station 58 in Canarsie said, “It's sad. It’s a terrible loss. It’s not the way to go, not for her. She was part of 9/11.” He said she cared very much about the patients and coworkers she helped as an EMT. Daddona added, “We grew up together on the job,” Daddona said. “I call it growing up on the job — you come in as babies and you develop up.” He said "she would call everyone 'cookie' and was always smiling." Daddona warned his employees to be prepared for everything, saying they could have to deal with aggressive customers. He continued, "The problem is we never know when it’s going to happen, it could be anytime, anywhere. This is a prime example of that. It’s part of our job.”
Variale claimed that EMS lieutenants like Russo-Elling face greater danger since they do not have teammates and work alone. The investigators said the stabbing of Russo-Elling was absolutely random and unprovoked, and that she was on her way to the kitchen to get some food. “She was alone… maybe if she had a partner who saw this guy coming this could have been avoided,” he said, adding, "the union has been pushing to have aides assigned to lieutenants for a long time to no avail." He explained, “Our job is a very dangerous job. It’s as dangerous as fire and police. We’re assaulted just as much,” Variale said. “We lose a lot of members unfortunately, and we are not treated the same.” The man suspected of killing Russo-Elling was apprehended by police at his neighboring house, where he had taken refuge following the incident.