Initial responses to fires and other emergencies take longer in the Big Apple, and more people died in fires earlier this year compared to last year, continuing an alarming trend. The numbers from City Hall show that.
The combined average response time for “life-threatening medical emergencies” by ambulances and fire companies increased from 9 minutes 43 seconds in the first four months of 2023-24 to 9 minutes 52 seconds (1.5%). ) increased. That is expected to happen around the same time in 2022-23, according to Mayor Eric Adams’ interim management report released last month.
The number of civilian fire deaths also increased by 12.5% from 16 to 18 compared to the same period last year (July to October).
“Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are particularly deadly and increased during the reporting period,” the FDNY said.
Rechargeable batteries are found in cars, laptops, tablets, phones, common household devices, and even electric bikes and scooters.
“The FDNY is advising the administration and working with legislators at the city, state, and federal levels to implement regulatory requirements aimed at reducing the availability of defective lithium-ion batteries,” the FDNY reports. I mentioned it in the book.
Statistics show that the latest response times and fire deaths reflect a worrying upward trend across the past two financial years (2021-22 and 2022-23).
From July to October of this year, fire company response times to life-threatening medical emergencies jumped from 9 minutes, 8 seconds to 9 minutes, an average of 25 seconds slower than the same period last fiscal year. 33 seconds.
For ambulances, response times were reduced by an average of three seconds, from 10 minutes 40 seconds to 10 minutes 37 seconds.
Life-threatening incidents reported during the same period increased by 2,148, an increase of 1% from 209,502 to 211,650.
“The increase in response times is due to increased traffic volume, an increase in the overall incidence of life-threatening medical emergencies, a decrease in the number of ambulances per day, and an increase in emergency room turn times for ambulances. “It is possible,” the FDNY said of the data.
The fire department noted that it has extended the useful life of existing ambulances and leased more vehicles in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, these older ambulances will be retired starting in fiscal year 2023, reducing the peak number of ambulances and the number of tour units during the peak number of 911 calls.
The agency also noted a “significant increase” in the time it takes for ambulances to transport patients to emergency departments and resume service.
The president of the union representing paramedics and emergency technicians says the FDNY isn’t spending enough on the emergency services department, while the number of ambulances is down 11%, so slowing response times is alarming. He said that was not the case. pay.
“We are the busiest emergency medical response agency in the world, busier than ever saving the lives of our fellow New Yorkers, yet our pleas for help continue to go unheeded,” FDNY said Oren Barzilai, president of EMS Local 2507.
“EMS spending, including poverty wages, has remained flat for many years, which, combined with a lack of resources, has had a significant negative impact on our members. is an absurdly low one-sixth of that,” Barzilay said.
His union is one of the few that has not yet signed a new labor contract with the Adams administration.
