Oregon’s EMS Response Time Beats California but Still Trails National Average
A recent study of EMS response times across the United States shows that Oregon calls are answered in 10.82 seconds, which is better than bottom-ranked California’s 17.85 seconds. However, it is still 2% slower than the national average of 10.56 seconds.
Best And Worst EMS Response Times
First aid course experts at Fundamental First Aid assessed EMS response times from the latest NHTSA data for accidents resulting in at least one death across every state in the U.S. over four years, ranking states based on their average EMS response times during the period.
Rhode Island has the quickest average EMS response time at 6.21 minutes—41% lower than the national average—based on 275 accidents involving at least one death and 286 fatalities over the four years analyzed.
The top three states with the quickest EMS response times are:
| Rank | State | Total number of accidents involving at least one death (2018-2022) | Total number of deaths (2018-2022) | Average EMS response time (minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | 275 | 286 | 6.21 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 1,762 | 1,850 | 6.34 |
| 3 | Nevada | 342 | 355 | 6.44 |
Oregon ranked 21st overall, with an average EMS response time of 10.82 minutes for 1,819 accidents involving at least one death and 2,005 fatalities in total during the four years.
The states with the slowest EMS response times were:
| Rank | State | Total number of accidents involving at least one death (2018-2022) | Total number of deaths (2018-2022) | Average EMS response time (minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 897 | 973 | 17.85 |
| 2 | Wyoming | 439 | 502 | 17.54 |
| 3 | North Dakota | 389 | 426 | 14.36 |
| 4 | South Dakota | 452 | 511 | 13.92 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 1,843 | 2,050 | 13.68 |
| 6 | Montana | 859 | 951 | 13.59 |
| 7 | West Virginia | 446 | 472 | 13.20 |
| 8 | Alabama | 3,471 | 3,782 | 12.85 |
| 9 | Alaska | 249 | 282 | 12.18 |
| 10 | Idaho | 985 | 1,096 | 12.17 |
Blake Steinson, President of Fundamental First Aid Ltd., noted the typical pattern across the top ten states with the longest times- most are rural, such as Wyoming, North Dakota, and Alaska, where the population sizes and greater distance between patients and hospitals, residents of these rural states present challenges when it comes to receiving timely medical assistance in an emergency.
Steinson said, “A fast EMS response time is absolutely critical, as it significantly increases the chance of survival and reduces the likelihood of injury and damage.”
Taking a certified first aid and CPR course can make a real difference in an emergency in any state, but especially if you reside in one of the top ten states with the longest EMS response times.
Steinson advised that, in a non-life-threatening emergency, having someone drive you to the nearest hospital when possible could result in receiving medical attention faster while also placing less strain on paramedics.