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NYC ambulance response times have grown 41% as life-threatening calls rise
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
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Photo by John Lamparski / AFP via Getty Images
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
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New York City’s emergency medical response teams are taking longer to get to people in distress, even as life-threatening emergencies are spiking, a report by the city comptroller’s office found.
The report examined a decade of FDNY data, including information about the calls that the department's emergency medical services responded to between fiscal years 2015 and 2026. It found life-threatening medical emergencies in that period increased more than 22%.
A spokesperson for the comptroller said they did not know the reason for the uptick in life-threatening emergencies.
Also in the last decade, FDNY response times for those emergencies grew by three minutes and 50 seconds, a more than 41% increase, the report found. Response times for non-life-threatening emergencies more than doubled in that time period, according to the report.
FDNY spokesperson Amanda Farinacci said in a statement that the department is working tirelessly to lower response times.
“We will continue to take steps to improve response times and keep New Yorkers safe, including improving coordination with hospitals, enhancing efficiency in high-volume areas, and increased operational visibility to help return units to service quickly,” Farinacci said.
The FDNY’s ambulance fleet often needs maintenance, leading to fewer ambulances out responding to emergency calls on a given day and increasing overall response times, the report states.
On a day in January, the FDNY had 360 ambulances in service, when it had a daily target of 488, the report states.
It also notes that the City Council has called for hiring more EMTs and paramedics to bring response times down, but adds there’s high staff turnover among emergency medical workers because of low wages.
The department reported a 5% attrition rate at a hearing in October 2025, but that is likely an undercount because it does not include EMS workers who left to become firefighters.
EMTs and paramedics have been operating without a union contract since 2022 because of a dispute over pay. Currently, EMT salaries start at nearly $44,000, and can increase to more than $68,000 after five-and-a-half years of service.
The union that represents EMTs and paramedics is seeking pay and regular raises on par with firefighters.
Achieving that would cost more than $1 billion, according to the report.
EMS staff are also underpaid compared to similar emergency workers who are employed by private hospitals. Bringing their salaries up to a similar private-sector wage would cost the city $352 million, the report states.
The comptroller’s office urged the city to bring EMS staff pay to a level at least similar to private-sector workers, but acknowledged other changes would also need to be made to lower response times.
“The city should move quickly to reach a labor agreement, with the objective of bringing EMS salaries in line with those of comparable private-sector counterparts, if not higher,” the report states.
The comptroller’s office urged the city to bring its EMS workers to a pay level at least similar to private sector workers, but acknowledged other changes would also need to be made to lower response times.
“New York City’s emergency medical workers are being asked to do more while being paid less," Comptroller Mark Levine said in a statement.
"Public safety must remain a priority, which means fairly compensating these essential workers. The City must negotiate a new contract that provides EMTs and paramedics with competitive pay, while developing a comprehensive plan to address the structural challenges affecting response times and ensure our EMS system can meet growing demand,” he said.
Tagged
EMS
fdny
new york city
public safety
Ben Feuerherd
Ben Feuerherd covers public safety and policing for WNYC and Gothamist. He previously covered federal courts for The New York Post and The Messenger. His work has also appeared in POLITICO, the Daily Beast and NBC New York. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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