When is an FDNY ambulance not an ambulance?

To the editor:

When reading the NYC Daily Critical Fleets Summary published online, as far as the number of FDNY ambulances in service on any given day goes, it's unclear about what's going on.  It's been that way since early February.  

That's when the FDNY's daily targeted number of ambulances in service was reduced over a weekend by 32 percent, to 332.  As a result, by Feb. 2, although a low of 299 ambulances were in service (down by almost 100 from the previous year), the FDNY finally met 90 percent of its target - for the first time in years.  

No explanation accompanied the change.  And by changing the target, a daily, public "red flag" was eliminated overnight.

But now the FY2026 NYC Mayor's Management Report (MMR) may shed some light on the numbers.  Under "noteworthy changes, additions, or deletions" the MMR states:  "The calculation for ‘Ambulance in service hours per day’ was changed to include Paramedic Response Units (PRUs) since their introduction . . .  (July 1, 2025) and the previously published data has been revised."

PRUs do not meet the definition of an ambulance, as they cannot transport patients to hospitals.  

At a City Council hearing on June 10, FDNY EMS Lt. Anthony Almojera told Council Members about the number of ambulances that were down in each borough as he spoke - 53 city-wide.  He told them that the evening tour would be down about 70 ambulances.   

On the other hand, for the same week of June 10, the "Daily Critical Fleets Summary" showed well over 400 ambulances in service or over 120 percent of target.  

At the upcoming Council hearing on ambulance response times, will city officials be prepared to talk to the public with "newspeak" or with the facts?

The public hearing is on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m., 250 Broadway, 8th Floor, Hearing Room 2.

Helen Northmore