Statement from Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro on EMS Contingency Plan Due to Bankruptcy Filing By Private Ambulance Company Transcare

February 24, 2016

Today, the state Health Department informed the Fire Department that TransCare, a private ambulance company that participates in the 911 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system in New York City through contractual agreements with several private hospitals, has filed for bankruptcy.

On a daily basis, TransCare operates 27 ambulances in the Bronx and Manhattan, staffing a total of 81 ambulance "tours" - or shifts.

The Fire Department has been aware for several months of the financial difficulties faced by TransCare, and has developed contingency plans - both short and long term - in anticipation of today's announcement.

To ensure uninterrupted EMS services continue to be provided throughout the city - particularly in Manhattan and the Bronx - I have ordered the immediate implementation of our contingency plans, which includes the following:

• Additional FDNY units - staffed on overtime - will be placed into service to fill vacancies created by TransCare.
• Private hospital and/or third-party providers of EMS services are being surveyed to ascertain their ability to fill any tours previously staffed by TransCare.

TransCare has contracts with the following seven hospitals, where - under agreement with the City of New York - it operates ambulances as part of the 911 EMS system:

BRONX
Montefiore Medical Center (3 ambulances)
Bronx-Lebanon Medical Center (6 ambulances)
Montefiore Medical Center (4 ambulances)
St. Barnabas Hospital (5 ambulances)

MANHATTAN
Beth Israel Medical Center (4 ambulances)
Mount Sinai Hospital (3 ambulances)

NYU Langone Medical Center (2 ambulances)

Press Contact: Francis X. Gribbon & Frank Dwyer, (FDNY) (718) 999-2056