BOSTON — Two years after a stroke patient in Charlestown waited nearly an hour for an ambulance, Boston’s emergency medical system remains under strain — with union leaders, medics, and residents warning the crisis is far from over.

In 2023, Kelli Gillen Forbes testified before the Boston City Council about the night her aunt suffered a stroke and waited for care. She said it took “anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour” for the ambulance to arrive — despite firefighters reaching the home within three minutes (WHDH).

A 911 System Still on the Brink

Emergency call volume in Boston has risen 60% since 2021, according to city officials, who say ambulances and staffing haven't kept pace.

In 2023, Boston EMS union rep Nicholas Mutter said the department had to shut down Paramedic 16, a key advanced life support unit, due to paramedic shortages. “We had no paramedics available to fill the truck,” he testified.

2025: The Numbers Still Fall Short

Boston’s official target for top-priority ambulance responses is six minutes. But the median response time remains at 7.4 minutes, according to the most recent available data — a gap that can be critical in cases like cardiac arrest or stroke.

To address staffing issues, Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration launched a paid EMT cadet program in 2023. But even that hasn't kept pace. That year, Boston graduated 15 cadets but lost 23 to 25 EMTs to attrition.

A Slow-Motion Emergency

In 2025, state lawmakers introduced new legislation to classify EMS as an essential service, expand funding, train 911 dispatchers to offer CPR instructions, and pilot “treat-in-place” programs to reduce unnecessary ambulance use.

City officials say they’re taking the crisis seriously — but the people on the ground aren’t convinced. The ambulances are still delayed. The units are still understaffed. And the stakes are still life or death.

Meanwhile, Boston broke ground this spring on a new EMS station in South Boston, but the $16 million facility won’t open until 2026.

The Bottom Line

Boston saw warning signs in 2023. A woman waited nearly an hour for help that should have taken six minutes. Two years later, medics say the crisis hasn’t gone away — it’s only spread.

Until staffing levels rise and system-wide reforms are implemented, one thing is certain: in an emergency, help may not arrive when it’s needed most.

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