“We have a fight on our hands,” Gruber said. “There are delays in travel time, there are further delays in turnaround time because the Long Beach population is now overwhelming the emergency room at South Nassau. This puts a big burden on our volunteer firefighters.”

Since the storm, patients with medical emergencies have been taken to Nassau University Medical Center, SNCH or other area facilities. But local fire officials complain that the trip takes too long — a Long Beach ambulance may not return for 90 minutes — strains the city’s resources and risk delays on the barriers island’s three bridges, especially in the busy summer months.

“Our transport time used to be five minutes or so to Long Beach hospital,” said Point Lookout-Lido Fire Department Commissioner Chas Thompson. “It’s now 20 to 25 minutes to South Nassau or Nassau University Medical Center. When we go on a call and we go to the hospital, it’s now taking two to three hours for a round trip, from the time we get the alarm to the time we’re back in house.”

Jackie Odom, a member of the Concerned Citizens of North Park, said her neighbors are “suffering greatly” and are “at risk.” “Collectively, we need to pool our efforts together,” she said.

Cliff Skudin, who runs a local nonprofit, Surf for All, which helps special-needs children learn to surf, said that there are always risks involved when swimming or surfing in the ocean. “… [W]e’ve had instances where we had to take children to the hospital, and it was definitely great to have a hospital here in Long Beach,” he said. “Not having a hospital really hits home …”

Kerri Gustavson, a member of the Westholme Civic Association, said she is “livid” when she hears about the strain on Fire Department resources, and that the hospital’s closure “is a tremendous blow to our economy — Long Beach Medical Center was a huge employer.”

“I want every elected official in this city and above to be livid about it and get us a hospital,” she added.