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EMS workers union says response time stats misrepresent efficiency

New policy tells 911 operators to start a fresh ticket when a call that’s waiting for an ambulance gets upgraded to high-priority status

NYDaily News

NEW YORK — A new policy that changes the way EMS operators input emergency calls amounts to cooking the books, union officials charge.

An internal FDNY memo obtained by the Daily News orders workers to start the clock over in the middle of emergency calls that get more serious.

If someone reports a sick relative who doesn’t present any alarming symptoms, for example, the call would likely be classified as a low priority. But if the patient’s condition gets significantly worse — like a loss of consciousness — the call would be elevated to a high priority and an ambulance immediately dispatched.

Full story: EMS workers union charges that shift in way response time statistics are calculated misrepresents efficiency of agency