New York lawmakers say increasing ambulance response times has deadly consequences

City lawmakers say New Yorkers are waiting longer than ever for medical emergencies while the city struggles to keep enough ambulances — and personnel — on the streets.

And the city’s limited medical resources become a decisive factor in the life and death of some of its residents.

City Council members and residents complained about slower response times during a hearing of the joint Fire and Emergency Management, Hospital and Oversight committees on Friday — especially because the delays appear to be hitting low-income communities of color much harder than in richer areas.

“It is obvious to anyone paying attention that our city is struggling to meet its obligations to provide timely medical care to all New Yorkers,” said Councilwoman Joanne Ariola, chair of the council’s Fire and Emergency Management Committee. “Every second counts, and patient outcomes can change dramatically with even the slightest delay.”

The average response time to life-threatening medical emergencies has increased by more than a minute over the past five years, jumping from 6 minutes and 22 seconds in fiscal year 2019 to 7 minutes and 23 seconds in the fiscal year that ended in June, the data shows. quotes Ariola. Every second lost during a heart attack, stroke, gunshot or stab wound can mean the difference between life and death, or long-term health and irreversible damage, health officials say.

The delays are especially severe in some of the city’s most resource-poor areas, where residents often live furthest from hospitals, council members said. Low wages and unsatisfactory working conditions forcing some health workers to leave profession as a whole, while some of the city’s hospitals, including SUNY Downstatein Brooklyn and Beth Israel at Mount Sinaiin Manhattan are on the verge of closing.

Mayesha Morales told the story of her father’s death during a hearing Friday. She said it took nearly an hour for the ambulance to reach her family’s home as her father lay helpless in a pool of his own blood. He later died in hospital.

Her mother, sitting next to her in City Hall, sobbed as Morales spoke.

“When the paramedics arrived, there was no sense of urgency. In fact, they looked like they had just woken up from a nap,” Morales said. “They lifted him onto the gurney without a sheet or cover to protect his dignity. When we asked for a sheet, we were told there was none.”

Fire officials said emergency medical calls are increasing, although response times are slowing. The total number of life-threatening phone calls has increased 5% over the past two fiscal years, with 633,361 calls made in fiscal year 2024, compared with 605,140 in 2023, said Michael Fields, chief of the fire department’s EMS division. testimony Friday.

Fields blamed the delay in medical care on traffic, overcrowded hospitals and a state law requiring emergency medical personnel to remain with a patient until he receives treatment from hospital staff.

He responded to numerous questions from elected officials about how the city plans to retain more medical staff, saying the city is working with recruiters to bring in more people.

According to the FDNY, there are 669 ambulances in the city’s fleet, of which 143 are out of service due to lack of staffing or maintenance.

“We get the job done with what we have,” said Evan Suchecki, FDNY fleet operations manager, adding that “any additional staffing would, of course, always benefit the bureau.”

Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse of Brooklyn said delay times are also especially long for residents of her southeast Brooklyn district, which includes Canarsie and Bergen Beach.

“When ambulances are delayed, the burden increases not only in the emergency department, but also on families and patients who are left in critical situations waiting for help to arrive,” said Narcisse, who chairs the hospitals subcommittee. “New Yorkers deserve to know that in the event of an emergency, an ambulance will be ready to take them to the hospital where they can receive timely, life-saving care.”