A new report from the New York City Comptroller's office finds that ambulances now take about 13 minutes on average to reach life-threatening emergencies. That is roughly 41% longer than a decade ago, an increase of 3 minutes and 50 seconds. When someone is having a heart attack or can't breathe, those extra minutes can be the difference between life and death. The report points to a 23% rise in critical call volume, staffing shortages and traffic as the main drivers. The FDNY has said it wants to reverse the trend.

City Councilwoman Joann Ariola is pushing legislation she calls the "Minutes Matter" bill to bring more openness to the problem. It would require NYC Emergency Management to send a public notification whenever more than 25 ambulance calls are waiting for dispatch, so residents know about delays and what non-emergency options exist. At an October 20 City Council hearing on Fire and Emergency Management, EMS union representatives and city officials testified on the crisis. They pointed to high turnover among EMTs, many of whom leave for better-paid firefighter jobs. The bill is still being considered, so New Yorkers are left asking whether alerts alone can fix a system that is running out of ambulances and crews.