FDNY EMT representatives say life-saving drugs used in emergency ambulance situations have been in short supply on Staten Island in the past few weeks, putting patients' lives at risk. NY1's Bree Driscoll filed the following report.

Hank Griffin, 79, had quadruple bypass four years ago. Two years ago, he had two stents put in. He realizes that having emergency treatment for his heart is a very real possibility and to think that the life-saving drugs he needs might not be available is frightening.

"This is absolutely wrong," said Griffin. "There is no sense being on the road. If that is the case that they can't carry the drugs on it, then take them off the road."

Robert Ungar, the spokesman for the Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics for the New York City Fire Department, says he has been receiving calls for weeks from EMTs in the field saying that they have diminished supplies, and, in some cases, no supplies of certain life-saving drugs.

"On a scale of one to 10, we are talking 12," said Ungar of the severity of the problem. "The cardiac drugs are a life-and-death situation. You either have the right drugs and you save somebody or you don't have the right drugs and someone can die."

He says some of those drugs in low supply are used to treat cardiac patients. They include cardizem, nitroglyercin, sodium bicarbonate and other drugs to treat patients with obstructed breathing. Ungar says the problem falls on poor management by the FDNY.

"The best that we can see right now is that there is some sort of failure by the Fire Department to order and inventory properly. There is no national shortage of these drugs," said Ungar.

Staten Island residents say they worry about what could happen to them in a life or death situation.

"Well that is not very responsible for them not to have the medicine that you would need if you have a heart attack or any other illness you would have," said Brian Mills, a Mariners Harbor resident.

"It is terrible that we can't have things right on hand when we need them," said Eltingville resident Angelina Cestaro.

A spokesperson for the FDNY says, "There are no shortages with regard to running out of medication."