Massachusetts Ranks Second Among States with Quickest EMS Response Times

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — A new study has revealed the states with the quickest average EMS response time in the U.S. Personal-injury lawyers at Omega Law Group collected data on EMS response times for accidents resulting in at least one death across every state in the U.S. from 2018 to 2022.

After cleaning and analyzing this data, experts ranked the states based on their average EMS response times and compiled the total number of accidents and deaths during this period. Rhode Island has the quickest average EMS response time on the list at 6.21 minutes. Massachusetts secured second place with an average time of 6.34 minutes. Rounding out the top 10 are Nevada, Connecticut, Delaware, Colorado, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, and Florida.

On the other hand, California has the longest average EMS response time at 17.85 minutes, followed by Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma.

“Rhode Island’s top-ranking 6.21-minute response time may be attributed to its status as the smallest state, which likely reduces the geographical distance EMS providers need to cover,” an Omega Law Group spokesman said. “Additionally, its relatively small population could alleviate strain on emergency services, ensuring quicker response times overall.

The states with the longest average EMS response times are spread across the country but share a common challenge: vast, rural areas.