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Council public safety report: two medic units ordered, regional training discussions underway
Summary
The public safety committee reported plans to purchase two medic units (one funded by the EMS levy, another in a subsequent year), staffing vacancies for EMTs, and early talks about a regional training center; council members described recent hands-on firefighter training in Boise.
The Public Safety Committee reported on May 6 that the city plans to acquire two medic units to bolster emergency medical response, with one unit paid from the EMS levy and a second unit expected in 2026, committee members told the council on May 12.
Committee members said the city currently has two EMT vacancies and is interviewing candidates. Staff and committee members described the procurement timeline for the medic units as targeting delivery in late 2025 or early 2026. Committee members also said bids for equipment did not include power-load systems that lift gurneys into ambulances and that staff will budget for those devices separately.
"We are going to be purchasing 2 medic units, 1 using the EMS levy and then 1 the following year in 2026," the committee chair said during the report. Committee members said research suggested purchasing gurneys and stair chairs is more cost-effective than leasing for the city's level of use.
The committee reported initial discussions with county partners about creating a regional training center to consolidate police, fire and 911 dispatch training to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Committee members said staff have begun outreach to other jurisdictions to explore the idea and noted the city's current training facility at Summit Park is aging.
Councilmembers and staff also described a recent hands-on fire training trip to Boise, Idaho, where council members participated in drills with local fire battalion chiefs. Council members called the experience "eye opening" and said it underscored the physical and emotional demands on first responders.
No formal action was taken by the full council at the May 12 meeting on these items; the public safety committee report was informational and included staff direction to continue recruitment, finalize medic-unit procurement plans and pursue regional training conversations with neighboring jurisdictions.
