City lawmakers say New Yorkers are waiting longer than ever for emergency medical care, while the city struggles to keep enough ambulances — and staff — on the streets.

And the city’s strained medical resources are becoming the difference between life and death for some of its residents.

City councilors and residents lamented declining response times during a joint committee hearing on fire and emergency management, hospitals and oversight boards, especially as the delays appear to hit low-income communities of color much harder than areas richer.

“It’s obvious to anyone paying attention that our city has struggled to meet its obligation to provide timely medical care to all New Yorkers,” said Councilwoman Joann Ariola, chair of the Council’s fire and emergency management committee. “Every second counts, and patient outcomes can be dramatically altered with even the slightest delay.”

The average response time to life-threatening medical emergencies has increased by more than a minute over the past five years, jumping from 6 minutes and 22 seconds in fiscal year 2019 to 7 minutes and 23 seconds in fiscal year ended in June, according to the data. quoted by Ariola. Doctors say every second lost in a heart attack, stroke, gunshot or knife wound can be the difference between life and death, or long-term health and permanent damage.

Delays are especially bad in some of the city’s least-resourced neighborhoods, where residents often live furthest from hospitals, according to councilors. Low pay and poor working conditions forces some health workers to leave profession altogether while some of the city’s hospitals, incl SUNY Downstatein Brooklyn and Beth Israel of Mount Sinaiin Manhattan, they’re about to close.

Mayesha Morales told the story of her father’s death during Friday’s hearing. She said it took nearly an hour for an ambulance to arrive at her family home as her father lay helpless in a pool of his own blood. He later died at the hospital.

Her mother, who sat next to her at City Hall, sobbed as Morales spoke.

“When the EMTs arrived, there was no sense of urgency. In fact, they looked like they just woke up from a nap,” Morales said. “They lifted him on the stretcher without a sheet or covering to protect his dignity. When we asked for a sheet, we were told they didn’t have any.”

Fire department officials said the number of calls for emergency medical assistance is increasing even as response times are slowing. The total number of “life-threatening” phone calls increased 5 percent between the last two fiscal years, with 633,361 calls made in fiscal 2024, up from 605,140 in 2023, said Michael Fields, chief of fire EMS operations. a testimony on Friday.

Fields blamed the medical delay on traffic, overcrowded hospitals and state law that dictates that emergency medical personnel stay with a patient until they receive medical care from hospital staff.

He fielded numerous questions from elected officials about how the city plans to retain more medical staff, saying the city is working with recruiters to convince more people to stay.

There are 669 ambulances in the city’s fleet, of which 143 are out of service due to understaffing or maintenance, according to the FDNY.

“We’re doing the job with what we have,” said Evan Suchecki, FDNY chief of fleet services, adding that “any additional personnel would always benefit the bureau, of course.”

Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse of Brooklyn said the delay times are also particularly long for residents in her southeast Brooklyn district, which includes Canarsie and Bergen Beach.

“When ambulances are delayed, the pressure is multiplied not only in the emergency room, but also for families and patients who are left in critical situations waiting for help to arrive,” said Narcisse, who chairs the Hospitals subcommittee. “New Yorkers deserve to know that in an emergency, an ambulance will be there ready to take them to the hospital, where they can receive life-saving care in time.”