According to a report from CBS6, as both calls for service and hospital wait times continue to rise in the state of New York, EMS staff shortages are following suit, especially in the city of Troy.
Troy Uniformed Firefighters Association Local 86 President Eric Wisher fears the city’s staffing crisis will only get worse, putting the public safety at risk.
In an interview at the Troy Fire Department’s (TFD’s) Station 2, Wisher said that, when crew members stationed there receive an emergency medical services call, they would leave the station with no one to man the fire engine.
He noted how, on Wednesday, Troy’s fire crews were tested after the city’s only hospital closed its emergency department, turning a drive that would typically take just minutes one that could take up to an hour.
Wisher also said that the amount of urgent care transfers has also increased.
A spokesperson with St. Peter’s Health Partner said that they are not taking this emergency department diversion lightly.
Around 30 years ago, call volume was about 5,900 a year. Today, it’s more than doubled to approximately 13,000 calls annually.
