# 🔴 LIVE: Hearing on Ambulance Response Times

The New York City Council’s joint hearing of the Committees on Fire and Emergency Management and Hospitals on ambulance response times was held October 20, 2026. FDNY and NYC Health + Hospitals described rising EMS response times amid staffing shortages, increased demand, hospital closures and delays, and reduced ambulance availability. Council members and witnesses emphasized EMS pay and retention; city officials said collective bargaining was ongoing, but no funding or contract action was approved at the hearing. Intro 990, which would require public notifications when FDNY EMS has more than 25 pending ambulance dispatches, was discussed; no vote was recorded. Speakers also sought follow-up information on staffing, response metrics, hospital patient flow, and the EMS CAD system.

A procurement concern arose in virtual testimony from an FDNY technology employee, who alleged recurring failures in fire/EMS CAD systems and questioned FDNY’s oversight of Accenture. The witness cited a $20.66 million sole-source contract signed in October 2025 for the EMS CAD system and asked the Council to require milestone-by-milestone deliverable accounting and independent technical certification before the system goes live. These were requests for oversight, not contract decisions made by the committees.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Public Safety, Information Technology
**Topics:** Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** October 20, 2026

### Sources
- [🔴 LIVE: Hearing on Ambulance Response Times](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pHnlBZ4qwU) - New York City Council