You are reading

City to Get 250 Ambulances, 500 EMTs and Paramedics to Help With Coronavirus Response

FDNY ambulance (Seth Granville, Flickr)

March 31, 2020, By Michael Dorgan

Mayor Bill De Blasio has announced that the city – in partnership with FEMA – will get an additional 250 ambulances and around 500 extra EMTs and paramedics to help meet the spike in demand for emergency services.

The extra resources will increase medical transport capacity between medical sites and assist the FDNY in responding to a record number of 911 calls, the mayor said in a statement this morning.

The ambulances will be fully staffed by paramedics and EMTs who will be sourced from around the country.

“Our EMTs and paramedics are doing unbelievable work under the toughest of circumstances,” de Blasio said.

“This week, I promised them help was on the way, and today it is. Our partnership with FEMA will give our first responders the help they need to continue being the heroes of our city,” he said.

The announcement comes at a time when the number of coronavirus related deaths in New York City has risen to 932 since the outbreak began, according to figures released by the NYC Department of Health this morning. Queens is the hardest hit borough with 309 lives lost.

The coronavirus spread has seen an unprecedented 50 percent increase in normal daily call volume to emergency medical services and the extra resources will provide urgently needed help.

“There has never been a busier time in the history of EMS in New York City,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro.

“We are very grateful for this assistance from FEMA that will make an immediate impact to the 911 system and greatly assist our men and women on the frontlines of this pandemic,” he said.

The FDNY is urging residents to only call 911 if it is an urgent emergency. Those who are sick are advised to call a doctor, or call 311 for help getting connected with a doctor, the FDNY said.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Ridgewood mother and daughter arrested for attacking woman over parking spot: NYPD

A Ridgewood mother and daughter were arrested Monday after they ambushed a young Black woman who tried to park her car in a spot in front of their apartment building that they frequently cordon off with garbage cans and traffic cones.

A family friend was standing at the northeast corner of Onderdonk Avenue and Putnam Avenue at around 7:30 p.m. when the 21-year-old Jada McPherson tried to park her car in the spot. The man placed a garbage can in her way. She drove off and circled the block multiple times. She tried to pull into the same spot one more time, but the man tried to stop her again. McPherson got out of her car to confront him, and an argument ensued.

Man in his 50s sought for exposing himself to 13-year-old on E train in Forest Hills: NYPD

Police from the 112th Precinct in Forest Hills and Transit District 20 are looking for a suspect who allegedly flashed a 13-year-old girl on a Queens subway train last month.

The victim was riding a southbound E train approaching the Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike station at around 1 p.m. on Monday, June 30, when she saw a stranger exposing himself to her, police said Wednesday. The perpetrator ran off the train at the Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike station and fled in an unknown direction. The youngster was not injured during her encounter with the stranger.