Resident nurse urges council to overhaul EMS after long response times; council says options under review

A Troy resident and registered nurse told the City Council on April 7 she is concerned about emergency medical services and urged the city to consider bringing EMS in-house after reporting extended response times.

At public comment Peggy Best, an RN with nearly 30 years of emergency nursing experience and a long-time Troy resident, said the city’s current model — "4 rigs plus a PFR for over 87,000 residents" — likely cannot sustain five-minute response times she described as essential for stroke and heart-attack victims. She described two incidents involving neighbors, including one with a 20-minute response time, and said "that is not acceptable." She asked the council, "what are our lives worth?"

Council members responded that they are actively reviewing EMS options, including the possibility of increasing funding for the current contractor and studying an in-house model. Council member Hamilton said any move to in-house EMS would be a major undertaking that would require time (she cited a year to two years to stand up an in-house operation) and that the city must also bridge service during any transition. Council member Chanda, a physician, emphasized reducing travel time as the chief goal and said the council will proceed "in a systematic way".

Mayor Pro Tem Gunn and other council members said staff and council are working on an RFP and ongoing meetings to address public-safety priorities, and they encouraged continued feedback from the community. Several council members urged that quality — not just cost — drive the city’s decision-making.

No formal action was taken at the meeting; council directed staff to continue gathering information and to return with options to improve response times and service quality.