Int 0265-2010

Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. The Fire Department currently tracks and reports on the duration of time between when an emergency call is received and when emergency medical service arrives at the street address of a suspected medical emergency. This data, however, presents an incomplete picture of the city’s emergency medical service because there may be considerable delay between arrival at a building and arrival at a particular apartment or floor where a medical emergency may be occurring, particularly in high-rise buildings. The Council finds that more comprehensive tracking of emergency medical service response times will permit the City to better plan for and respond to medical emergencies. Accordingly, the Council declares that it is reasonable and necessary to require the tracking of the response times to the actual location of medical emergencies. §2. Chapter one of title 15 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 15-129 to read as follows: §15-129 Tracking of emergency medical service response times. The department shall track the duration of time between a request to a 911 operator for an emergency medical response and the arrival of the first responding emergency medical service personnel at the required location. For purposes of this section, required location shall mean the actual location of the individual in need of emergency medical assistance. The commissioner shall submit a quarterly report to the council, detailing the average response times for such medical emergencies, for the city and for each borough. §3. This local law shall take effect 90 days after enactment. RCC 5/17/10 LS# 932