Legislation Details

File #: Int 0990-2026    Version: * Name: Emergency notifications related to delays in ambulance dispatch.
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Fire and Emergency Management
On agenda: 8/13/2026
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to emergency notifications related to delays in ambulance dispatch
Sponsors: Joann Ariola
Council Member Sponsors: 1
Summary: When the demand for emergency medical services exceeds the availability of in-service ambulances, the Fire Department’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (FDNY-EMS) triages emergency medical calls in order to dispatch ambulances to the most critical medical emergencies. As a result, there can be a queue of emergency medical runs awaiting dispatch for when an ambulance becomes available. This bill would require that New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) issue emergency notifications each time FDNY-EMS has more than 25 pending ambulance dispatches at any given time. Such notification would include information on non-emergency room resources for medical care and consideration of when individuals should seek alternative means of transportation to an emergency room.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 990, 2. Int. No. 990, 3. August 13, 2026 - Stated Meeting Agenda

Int. No. 990

By Council Members Ariola

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to emergency notifications related to delays in ambulance dispatch

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 30 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 30-115.1 to read as follows:

§ 30-115.1 Emergency notifications of delays in ambulance dispatch. a. Definitions. For the purpose of this section the term “pending ambulance dispatch” means when the fire department’s bureau of emergency medical services is unable to immediately dispatch an ambulance to a medical emergency due to there being an insufficient number of in-service and available ambulances to respond to such medical emergency.

b. The commissioner, in consultation with the fire department, shall develop and implement a plan to disseminate notifications related to pending ambulance dispatches through the emergency alert system established pursuant to section 1201 of title 47 of the United States code or other such emergency alert system as determined by the commissioner. Such notifications shall be disseminated each time the fire department has more than 25 pending ambulance dispatches at any given time and shall include information on non-emergency room resources for medical care and consideration of when individuals should seek alternative means of transportation to an emergency room; provided, however, that such notifications shall be required pursuant to this section no more than once per hour.  

§ 2. This local law takes effect 90 days after becoming law.

 

JDK

LS 24760

7/31/2026