9 N.J. counties exceed state’s recommended EMS response times

New state data shows EMS response times topped the 15-minute benchmark in nearly half of New Jersey’s counties

August 01, 2026 08:00 AM

New Jersey officially recommends an average EMS response time of less than 15 minutes.

By Jackie Roman | NJ.com

WARREN COUNTY, N.J. — In an emergency, it can feel like every second counts.

But at least nine New Jersey counties exceed the state’s 15-minute recommendation for average emergency medical services response times, state data shows.

Warren County has the longest response time in the state at 22 minutes, according to EMS data from June 2025 through June this year.

Neighboring Sussex County has the second-longest wait for EMS, coming in at 20 minutes. (See how your county compares below.)

Nationwide, the median response time for EMS was 7.1 minutes in 2023, according to the National Emergency Medical Services Information System. About 1 in 10 patients experienced a response time longer than 15 minutes.

New Jersey officially recommends an average EMS response time of less than 15 minutes.

Twelve counties had an average response time equal to or less than 15 minutes in the past year. Atlantic and Camden counties tied for the shortest response time — 12 minutes.

While it’s important to respond quickly to time-sensitive conditions, leading EMS and public policy associations say the majority of 911 EMS responses do not require a response time under 10 minutes.

In 2024, the American Ambulance Association , the American Paramedic Association and a group of other leading EMS organizations released a joint statement recommending that communities and governments go beyond response times to evaluate the effectiveness of EMS systems.

This is how each N.J. county ranks for average EMS response time based on monthly averages between June 2025 and June 2026 :