Recent reports have highlighted a growing crisis in Chicago's emergency medical services (EMS) system, particularly concerning ambulance availability and response times. These issues have sparked public concern and criticism from both media outlets and advocacy groups.
CBS Chicago recently revealed that city officials are reportedly discouraging dispatchers from openly acknowledging the lack of available ambulances. A memo obtained by CBS 2 and the Better Government Association instructed dispatchers to avoid using phrases like “no ALS ambulances available†during calls. The memo, written by a supervisor in the Office of Emergency Management, urged dispatchers to use more neutral language and focus on directing units without highlighting the shortage.
Paramedics have long warned about the problem, with one field chief, Pat Fitzmaurice, stating that the situation is worsening and that the city is not taking it seriously enough. “It’s clear they have no ambulances, and it validates what we’ve been saying—they need more,†he said.
The memo also admitted that the city often faces overwhelming demand and limited resources, but instead of addressing the root causes, officials seem focused on controlling how the issue is communicated. This has led to frustration among first responders and the public alike.
Incidents such as a 16-minute ambulance response for a woman hit by a postal truck, a 22-minute wait for an elderly man with chest pain, and a 26-minute delay for an ALS unit to reach a woman struggling to breathe have raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the system.
While the Fire Department called the 26-minute response time “unacceptable†and said it was under investigation, the broader question remains: why is it so difficult for dispatchers to track ambulance locations and allocate resources efficiently? Other cities of similar size manage this process more effectively, suggesting there may be systemic issues at play in Chicago.
Experts argue that simply adding more ambulances may not be the solution if the underlying coordination and resource management problems aren’t addressed. As the city continues to face these challenges, the pressure on emergency responders—and the people they serve—only grows.
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