Recent reports have highlighted a growing crisis in Chicago's emergency medical services (EMS), particularly around ambulance availability and response times. The situation has sparked public concern and criticism from both media outlets and advocacy groups.

CBS Chicago, in collaboration with the Better Government Association, has uncovered troubling details about how the city is handling its EMS system. They've found that there's a severe shortage of ambulances and paramedics, leading to dangerous delays for patients in need of urgent care. Instead of addressing the problem head-on, officials appear to be downplaying it — even instructing dispatchers to avoid certain language when communicating about available resources.

A leaked memo from the Office of Emergency Management instructed dispatchers not to use phrases like "no ALS ambulances available" during calls. The goal, according to the memo, seems to be avoiding public awareness of the shortage. This approach has raised questions about transparency and accountability in the city’s emergency response system.

Paramedics say they're seeing this issue daily. One field chief, Pat Fitzmaurice, said the lack of ambulances confirms what they’ve been warning about for some time. “It clearly validates what we’ve been saying that they need more ambulances,” he told CBS 2.

The memo also acknowledges that the system is often overwhelmed, stating, “We all realize that certain times we are inundated with runs and lack of resources.” But instead of taking action, the city appears to be focusing on managing the narrative rather than fixing the underlying issues.

Meanwhile, real-life examples of delayed responses have made headlines. In one case, it took 16 minutes for an ambulance to reach a woman hit by a postal truck. Another incident saw a 22-minute wait for an elderly man with chest pains, and a 26-minute delay for an ALS unit responding to a woman struggling to breathe. These delays have led to public outrage and calls for reform.

The Fire Department has responded by calling the 26-minute response time “unacceptable” and said it’s under investigation. They added that they’re reviewing their ambulance deployment to better meet the needs of residents.

Experts in emergency management emphasize that the communication center plays a critical role in ensuring timely and effective EMS responses. Dispatchers must coordinate resources efficiently, using technology like GPS and dispatch algorithms to match the right unit to each call. However, in Chicago, it seems the system is struggling to keep up.

Some wonder if the problem is more systemic. While other cities of similar size manage their ambulance fleets effectively, Chicago appears to be falling behind. Increasing the number of ambulances may help, but without better coordination and transparency, the root causes of the crisis will remain unaddressed.

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