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Olivette approves EMS fee update and decommissions 7 shotguns; fire hoses marked surplus
Summary
Council authorized EMS transport fee increases aligned with 2025 CMS guidance, approved decommissioning and destruction of seven aging Remington 870 patrol shotguns, and authorized removing end‑of‑life fire hose from inventory with some hose donated to regional training.
The Olivette City Council on June 10 approved several public‑safety operational items: an update to emergency medical services (EMS) transport charges aligned with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance, decommissioning and destruction of seven patrol shotguns, and authorizing disposal or donation of end‑of‑life fire hose.
Fire Chief Steve Carmen told the council that EMS services generated $237,362 in revenue for the city in 2024, averaging about 54 billable calls per month and an average fee of roughly $441 per billable call. He said EMSMC, the city’s billing contractor, monitors Medicare and Medicaid fee schedules and recommended updating fees annually to remain consistent with industry and CMS guidelines. The council voted to authorize increases in EMS transport fees and lift‑assist fees according to the 2025 CMS updates.
Major David Berry (identified in the meeting as a deputy chief at the Alba Police Department) requested approval to decommission and destroy seven Remington Model 870 patrol shotguns that the department identified as approximately 15 years old and subject to recent malfunctions during training. Berry said many nearby departments have moved away from carrying shotguns on patrol in favor of rifles and that repair or replacement was not warranted. The council approved decommissioning and destruction; staff said the firearms will be processed through a recycler (Gun Busters in Chesterfield Valley) that will cut and recycle the metal at no cost to the city.
Fire Chief Carmen also requested approval to decommission sections of fire hose that have reached end of life under National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1962 guidance, which calls for hose replacement on a 10‑year cycle. He said some hose sections can be donated to the St. Louis County Fire Academy and others will be cut and repurposed or disposed. The council approved decommissioning and disposal/donation as appropriate.
Why it matters: the EMS fee adjustment aligns the city with federal reimbursement guidance and affects billing rates for transported patients; decommissioning aging equipment updates operational inventories and reduces maintenance and liability risks.
Next steps: Finance and public‑safety staff will implement the updated EMS fee schedule and process the decommissioning and disposal/donation of equipment as authorized by the council.
