Long Beach Fire Department Faces Shortage of Rescue Units Amid Rising 911 Calls

Long Beach, CA – The Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) is grappling with a growing crisis as a shortage of firefighters/paramedics and emergency rescue units continues to strain response times and public safety in the city. Residents and first responders have raised concerns about the increasing demand for emergency medical services (EMS) and the department’s limited resources to meet it with a growing city.

Over the past few years, 911 calls in Long Beach have surged, with medical emergencies making up the bulk of requests for service. However, the city’s number of available rescue ambulances remains critically low, forcing some units to respond from distant fire stations, delaying life-saving care.

Long Beach firefighter Philip Hamlin, who has been with the department for 18 years, shared a sobering firsthand account of the strain on emergency medical services.

“I’ll tell you a story about a 65-year-old woman celebrating her granddaughter’s birthday. She suddenly experiences severe chest pain. We arrive within five minutes and find her with very low blood pressure and a dangerously fast pulse. We are on an engine, so we lack the necessary equipment and medications to treat her. Long Beach was out of rescues. We waited for help while her family pleaded with us to do something. After about 15 minutes, she stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest. Despite our efforts with CPR and an AED, and a rescue arriving about 20 minutes later, she didn’t survive. This is a real story, told from a firsthand perspective, and situations like this happen all the time in Long Beach.”

“Our rescue units are running call after call without a break,” said a veteran LBFD paramedic who wished to remain anonymous. “We simply don’t have enough ambulances to keep up with the number of medical emergencies. We’re stretched thin, and that means longer wait times for people who need immediate help.”

The situation has led to some residents waiting extended periods for medical assistance, a problem that can have severe consequences in critical situations like heart attacks, strokes, and traumatic injuries. According to LBFD data, some emergency calls have seen delays beyond the department’s response time, raising concerns about patient outcomes.

City officials acknowledge the problem but cite budget constraints and staffing shortages as ongoing challenges. “We will look at ways that we can continue funding LBFD and explore ways to make it structural moving forward,” said Mayor Rex Richardson.

Long Beach currently operates a limited number of advanced life support (ALS) ambulances, which are staffed with paramedics trained to handle severe medical emergencies. When these units are unavailable, fire engines equipped with basic life support (BLS) responders must step in until a rescue ambulance arrives, further stretching resources across the city.

Long Beach City Manager Tom Modica also addressed the financial challenges impacting emergency services. “We are facing a $30 million shortfall next year, growing to $61 million over time. While voter-approved funding will bring in around $15 million, we will still face a deficit. Additionally, a county measure will help when it takes effect. Next week, I’ll present an agenda item on increased rent for our temporary Fire Station 9 site, staying there is critical while we complete the new $31 million fire station facility.”

Mayor Rex Richardson highlighted past budget decisions that have impacted emergency response times. “Our system is the sum of its parts. I recall in 2010, during Steve Neal’s second council meeting, the budget proposed cutting Paramedic Rescue 12. The chambers were packed—but with people holding signs to save the Municipal Band, not Rescue 12. The band kept playing, but the rescue was cut, leading to three-minute slower response times in North Long Beach and a minute citywide.”

Richardson also emphasized the need for sustainable funding for emergency services. “If this is so important to us providing services, we have to find a better way, a more sustainable way to fund paramedic services and fire services. It’s clear to us with the emergency we saw across the region. I don’t know that the pressure on us is going to get easier moving forward based on the climate, but we have to think about a city of our size. How do we structurally support, in a sustainable way, the quality of life and public safety that we really care about in our city? That is something we have to figure out as a community.”

Long Beach City Council member Cindy Allen also emphasized the severe burden on emergency medical services. “Long Beach paramedic ambulances are exceeding the national average. In 2022, the busiest unit handled 16–21 calls daily, far above the national standard of seven. With one ALS ambulance per 55,000 residents compared to the national average of 21,000 resources are stretched thin, putting residents at risk.”

Firefighters and paramedics have urged city leaders to prioritize funding for additional rescue units and personnel. “Every minute matters in an emergency,” said another LBFD responder. “We need more firefighters and paramedics in Long Beach to ensure that residents get the care they need when they need it.”

Residents are also voicing their concerns, calling on the city to take immediate action. Community members have reported instances of extended wait times for ambulances, leading some to rely on private transport to emergency rooms instead of waiting for city emergency services.

The issue of emergency response shortages is not unique to Long Beach, as many fire departments across California face similar resource constraints. However, with a growing population and increasing EMS calls, city leaders must find a solution before the situation worsens.

For now, the Long Beach Fire Department continues to do what it can with the resources available, but without significant improvements, the city’s emergency response capabilities remain at risk. As discussions continue at City Hall, residents and first responders hope that relief will come sooner rather than later.