These are the US states with the slowest emergency service response time

Personal injury lawyers at Omega Law Group collected EMS response times data 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.

California has the longest average EMS response time on the list: 17.85 minutes.

Wyoming secured second place with an average time of 17.54 minutes, 31 seconds less than the first spot.

North Dakota takes the third spot on the list, with an average EMS response time of 14.36 minutes.

Fourth place goes to South Dakota, a state with an average EMS response time of 13.92 minutes.

Oklahoma is fifth worst on the list, with a 13.68-minute average response time.

Montana lands in sixth place with an average EMS response time of 13.59 minutes, less than ten seconds faster than fifth place.

In seventh place is West Virginia, with 13.20 minutes of average response time for EMS.

Alabama takes the eighth spot, with EMS response time averaging 12.85 minutes.

The ninth spot goes to Alaska, with an average of 12.18 minutes of EMS response time.

Idaho rounds out the list in tenth place, with an average EMS response time of 12.17 minutes—that’s only one second less than Alaska, which is in ninth place.

On the other hand, Rhode Island has the quickest average EMS response time: 6.21 minutes. It’s followed by Massachusetts, with an average response time of 6.34 minutes, and Nevada, with 6.44 minutes.

Interestingly, six of the top ten states with the longest average EMS response times are located in the country's western side.

A spokesperson from Omega Law Group commented: “The states with the longest average EMS response times are spread across the country but share a common challenge: vast, rural areas. Wyoming and Alaska, with their sparsely populated landscape, face unique challenges in providing timely emergency care. Even populous California struggles with long response times.

“Long EMS response times pose significant risks for accident victims. Delayed medical care can aggravate injuries and reduce survival rates, potentially leading to severe damages and complex legal issues. These figures highlight the need for improved emergency response infrastructure, resources, and innovative solutions in these states.”