On the BBC's documentary series 'Ambulance' last night (a programme that follows NHS ambulances in the capital) there was a man working in the control room who formerly was a paramedic working in Brooklyn. He stated that there the ambulance crews often had to wait around for calls because people could not afford the $1500 charge for a call out. In London the crews travel from incident to incident throughout the twelve hour shift and callers often have to wait because demand for the service is so high.