Mayor de Blasio Announces $30M Investment in Bronx FDNY EMS Operations

Mayor de Blasio and Fire Commissioner Nigro Announce $30 Million Investment in Bronx FDNY EMS Operations

Investments include new EMS Station facility and continuation of rapid-response Fly Cars; Recent investments in FDNY EMS Operations have reduced response times by 36 seconds

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro today announced an investment of $30 million in FDNY EMS operations in the Bronx, including a $17 million capital investment for construction of a new facility for EMS Station 17, currently located at 1080 Ogden Ave and serving the Highbridge section of the Bronx and surrounding communities.

$6 million will be allocated to Bronx EMS operations for the continuation of the Department’s Fly Car Program. Since the program began last June – FDNY has seen a reduction in response times of 36 seconds for the most serious medical calls in the Bronx. Funding will also support the continued use of the FDNY’s Tactical Response Group, which allows the Department to quickly position ambulances in neighborhoods experiencing spikes in call volume; as well as the development of a new Hospital Liaison initiative which will station FDNY Officers and EMTs at two Bronx hospitals (Jacobi Medical Center and Lincoln Medical Center) to assist with the intake of patients to the emergency room. The Hospital Liaison initiative is designed to quickly put ambulances back in service to respond to additional calls and further reduce response times.

$7 million will also be provided to fund ten ambulances, ambulance equipment, and 21 vehicles for the Fly Cars and Tactical Response Group.

The City will invest $17 million for construction of the new facility for EMS Station 17, whose current facility is antiquated for the modern needs of the Department. Originally constructed to house an Engine Company in 1898, the station’s apparatus floor is experiencing heavy deterioration and the building lacks the space needed for EMS personnel to park, restock and maintain ambulances. EMS Station 17 currently operates 18 Basic Life Support ambulance tours (staffed by EMTs) and Advance Life Support ambulance tours (staffed by Paramedics) daily, as well as a conditions vehicle operated by FDNY EMS Officers.

FDNY EMS responded to more calls in 2016, with improved response times:

EMS responses fall into one of two broad categories – Segment 1-3 which include life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrest, unconscious and choking calls, and Segment 4-8 incidents which are triaged as non-life-threatening incidents.

• FDNY EMS responded to a new record high number of medical emergencies in 2016 - 1,440,268 – up slightly from 2015 when they answered 1,435,315 calls, or a 0.3% increase.

• End-to-end EMS response times were 21 seconds faster on average to Segment 1-3 calls (8:59 in 2016 versus 9:20 in 2015).

• FDNY EMS responded to 562,382 Segment 1-3 calls in 2016 - down from 566,210 incidents in 2015, a less than 1 percent decline.

• EMS responded to 877,886 Segment 4-8 incidents, up from 869,105 in 2015, a 1 percent increase.

FDNY EMS Station 17

1080 Ogden Avenue

Bronx

May 22, 2017