EMS Response Times Slowing Across NYC, New Report Finds

Yisroel R.

A new report released Thursday shows that emergency medical response times across New York City have been getting slower over the past decade, raising concerns about how quickly help is reaching patients in urgent situations.

The study, conducted by the New York City Independent Budget Office using data from 2014 through 2024, found that the share of EMS calls reached within ten minutes has declined in all five boroughs. For the most serious emergencies, the average response time has now increased to nearly eleven minutes, compared to under nine minutes at its fastest point in 2017.

Manhattan saw the sharpest decline for life-threatening calls, with response rates within ten minutes dropping from 90 percent in 2014 to 78 percent in 2024. For less urgent calls, Queens experienced the biggest decrease, falling from 72 percent to 56 percent over the same period.

City officials say that while the number of EMS workers has increased, it has not kept pace with the growing number of emergency calls. This gap has contributed to longer wait times across the system.

Councilwoman Joanne Ariola, who chairs the City Council’s Committee on Fire and Emergency Management, called the findings troubling and urged action. She said improving response times will require better staffing levels and higher wages for EMS workers, noting that every second can make a difference in life-or-death situations.

Concerns about staffing and pay have also been raised by EMS unions, which last year pointed to low wages and many workers leaving the job as ongoing challenges during contract negotiations.

Illustration photo: Shutterstock