N.Y. Ambulance Company That Responded to FDNY 9-1-1 Calls Declares Bankruptcy
A private ambulance company that answered FDNY 911 calls declared bankruptcy Wednesday — taking 27 ambulances out of commission in two of the city’s busiest boroughs.
The FDNY, currently battling a 20-second jump in response times citywide for life-threatening emergencies, is experiencing its slowest response times in the Bronx.
That borough lost 18 ambulances working with four hospitals when Transcare, a private company that worked within the city’s 911 system, started Chapter 7 proceedings Wednesday.
Another nine Transcare ambulances that brought 911 patients to three Manhattan hospitals were also lost, the Fire Department said.
Transcare wouldn’t say how many employees would be affected by its bankruptcy filing.
But its closure created 81 shifts the FDNY now has to fill with its own manpower, the department said.
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said the agency has been aware of Transcare’s financial struggles for some months.
“The Fire Department ... developed contingency plans — both short and long term — in anticipation of today's announcement,” he told the Daily News.
Nigro has ordered additional overtime units to fill the 81 vacant shifts created by Transcare’s closure.
The department’s also reaching out to other private ambulance carriers, he said.
Firefighters will use five rapid response vehicles instead of engine companies to respond to certified first responder calls.
The FDNY also plans to push through a class of 120 EMTs set to graduate from their training academy in March, and increase the next class to 180 students.
The majority of those graduates will go to cover the areas affected by the loss of Transcare.
Vincent Variale, president of the Uniformed EMS Officers union, said roughly 162 Transcare EMTs and paramedics were likely out of work now.
“Our members will step up, as they have in the past, to cover whatever shifts necessary to provide the people of this city 911 services,” said Variale.
“A loss this big will strain the system, but our members, the city and the FDNY are doing everything possible to minimize the impact,” he said. “Every precaution is being taken.”
EMS officers, emergency medical technicians and paramedics were already taking extra shifts, although they are currently working without a contract.
Their last one with the city expired six years ago -- the same time they got their last raises.
Transcare said its ambulance divisions in Hudson Valley and Pittsburgh would stay in operation under a corporate restructuring that saved 700 jobs.
But its ambulances in Westchester, Maryland and within the FDNY 911 system could not be kept alive, according to a company statement.
As part of bankruptcy proceedings, a trustee will be appointed to oversee the businesses and the liquidation of assets.
It's possible the trustee would try to keep the 911 ambulances running -- but the future appeared bleak Wednesday for most Transcare employees.
FDNY ambulances took an average 7 minutes and 13 seconds to respond to life-threatening emergencies, and an average 9 minutes, 59 seconds, to respond to all calls last year.
That’s up from 6 minutes, 50 seconds for grave emergencies and 9 minutes, 23 seconds, for all calls in 2014.
The department’s slowest response times were in the Bronx, stats show.
The average response time to life-threatening emergencies was 7 minutes, 36 seconds. For non-life-threatening calls, the average response time was 11 minutes, 31 seconds.
As the Daily News exclusively reported Tuesday, the FDNY plans to spend $5 million on two pilot programs to handle what it calls a record number of emergency calls.
Starting this summer, the FDNY will have 10 “fly cars” — EMS supervisor SUVs carrying a paramedic — to emergencies in the Bronx ahead of ambulances.
The FDNY also plans to send out a “tactical response” group of 10 additional basic life support tours — ambulance teams staffed by EMTs, not paramedics — to neighborhoods in the Bronx experiencing the highest call volume.
With John Annese
