Q&A
Ambulance availability and staffing challenges in NYC
0:42:50
·
110 sec
Council Member Brewer inquires about the number of ambulances not in use due to staffing issues. Chief Fields explains the distinction between ambulances and staffed units, and discusses the challenges of maintaining full staffing levels.
- FDNY operates 330 ambulance units during day shifts and 319 during night shifts, plus 120 units from voluntary hospitals
- Staffing challenges can lead to some ambulances being unavailable on any given day
- Factors affecting staffing include vacations, sick calls, and seasonal illnesses among EMS personnel
Gale Brewer
0:42:50
Okay.
0:42:50
Alright.
0:42:51
For my numbers, not great in math.
0:42:54
I think there are 70 according to he doesn't remember Ariola was asking.
0:42:58
There are, like, 70 ambulances that are not in use because not those that need repairs, but is that correct?
0:43:05
Is that about the number?
0:43:07
Seventy ambulances that are in storage because they there's just no staffing for them, I assume.
0:43:12
Is that the right number?
Michael Fields
0:43:14
So I'll do that.
0:43:16
So ambulance is not being utilized versus units.
0:43:19
So ambulance is just the vehicle itself.
0:43:22
Right?
Gale Brewer
0:43:22
But any staff.
Mercedes Narcisse
0:43:23
Any staff?
0:43:24
Right.
Michael Fields
0:43:24
I I I definitely agree with you.
0:43:25
So ambulance is the unit itself.
0:43:29
The units are the ones that we utilize on a daily basis.
0:43:32
So for 12 hour shift, for what we call total, which is the day shift, we have a total of 330 FDNY ambulance units.
0:43:42
That service the entire city.
0:43:43
Right?
0:43:44
On top of that, we have a 120 that are part of our partnership with voluntary hospitals.
0:43:49
On the evening shift, we have 319 FDNY ambulances.
0:43:54
And then with the Volleys, we have the same amount that we have in the daytime that we have in the evening.
0:43:59
So those are the ambulances that are out there daily.
0:44:02
There are times in which we've run down ambulances based off staffing that is correct.
0:44:06
That staffing could be based off people being on vacation, somebody being out sick, and it's a last minute calling, and we don't have proper staffing to back up that vacancy.
0:44:18
So, yes, there are days in which you know, flu season.
0:44:22
I have dedicated individuals that's out there in the front lines dealing with the sick and injured every day.
0:44:29
So therefore, they're gonna become sick at times, and they're gonna become injured.
0:44:32
Right?
0:44:32
And we have to try our best to account for those type of vacancies, but sometimes they come in mass amounts, and we can't run ambulances.
