Emergency responders are sounding the alarm over what they say are unacceptable working conditions.

“We’re screaming for help, and we need everyone’s support,” said one 911 dispatcher, who didn’t want to show his face on camera out of fear of retaliation.

He says his colleagues are underpaid, understaffed and overworked. Union members and elected officials rallied outside NYPD headquarters Thursday, calling on NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch to address their concerns.

“We sacrifice our families and our own personal lives to make sure every New Yorker receives the same amount of fair treatment when they have their own emergency, but there’s no one coming for our emergency,” said the same dispatcher.

Dispatchers and operators say they’re regularly pushed to the brink all while trying to help New Yorkers in emergency situations.

“It’s horrendous. We have [an] excessive multitude of overtime where we work four days of 16-hour shifts. When it’s excessive, sometimes they’ll ask for people to work more than 16-hour shifts,” said another woman who’s worked as a dispatcher for nearly eight years.

A report by state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal compares city data from July 2014 to July 2024. It shows life-threatening response times by EMS workers increased from 9.6 minutes to 12.4 minutes in that decade.

The report also found that NYPD response times to urgent situations jumped from 7.9 minutes to 9.7 minutes.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams warns this is literally a matter of life and death.

“This is a core public safety issue. We need fast emergency responses. It means we need more responders, more experienced operators and support for the trauma of the people supporting New York in traumatic moments,” Williams said.

Also, 911 dispatchers and operators are calling for adequate mental health resources to deal with the difficult nature of their work.

“We have people that still work at this job that took calls on 9/11. They had people that were giving them their last known wishes to tell their families that they loved them and they’re still here and haven’t even received any type of mental health support or backing. All we want is something fair. And we are entitled to that,” one dispatcher said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for DCPI said that 911 operators are essential in keeping New Yorkers safe, and that the NYPD is facing a staffing crisis, and recruitment efforts remain a priority.