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No ambulance available to respond to NY police vehicle collision

The Buffalo Police Department is exasperated by long wait times for Rural/Metro ambulance responses

BUFFALO, N.Y. — When two Buffalo Police vehicles collided and one flipped over, officers called an ambulance only to be told that there wasn’t one available and they were 16th in line for one.

The accident happened Sunday evening while officers, three of whom suffered minor injuries, were on their way to a call of a man with a gun, WGRZ reported.

Buffalo Police Benevolent Association President Kevin Kennedy said his officers report long waits for ambulances on a daily basis, in particular after 4 p.m.

Earlier this month, the Buffalo Common Council approved a new contract with Rural/Metro after concerns were raised about long wait times for services.

Councilman David Franczyk said the EMS Board that is overseeing Rural/Metro’s operations should look into the matter and impose fines if necessary. “The ink isn’t even dry in this contract and we’re hearing of this kind of problem,” Franczyk said.

Kennedy said something needs to be done not because police were involved, but because also citizens are waiting. “Sooner or later, somebody’s going to have an injury that’s vastly exasperated by the delay in medical treatment and God help us if somebody dies,” Kennedy said.

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