City Council Scrutinises Soaring Ambulance Response Times Across All Five Boroughs

Two New York City Council committees held a joint oversight hearing on Tuesday to examine escalating ambulance delays across all five boroughs. A recent comptroller's report found that response times for life-threatening emergencies have increased 41% over the past decade, rising nearly four minutes. The hearing focused on causes, patient impact, and potential solutions including proposed legislation Introduction 990, which would require the FDNY to issue public alerts whenever EMS has more than 25 pending dispatches simultaneously. A striking case cited at the hearing involved a Queens teenager who waited approximately one hour for an ambulance during a stroke; his family ultimately drove him to the hospital themselves. FDNY leadership acknowledged the problem, stating they are 'working tirelessly to reverse this trend.' Officials said they are reviewing how 911 calls were classified and dispatched in delayed cases.