Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ems Fire Station topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Millersville plans for full-time firefighters set off county debate over EMS sleeping quarters
Summary
City of Millersville proposals to add 24-hour firefighters and build bunks at Station 2 prompted concerns from county commissioners and Millersville EMS about losing existing living space; commissioners urged short-term solutions such as buying the rented trailer used by EMS.
A proposal by the City of Millersville to reconfigure Millersville Fire Station No. 2 to accommodate full-time, 24-hour firefighters drew sharp questions from Sumner County commissioners Monday, who said the changes could displace county EMS living quarters currently used at the site.
Mike Gorham, city manager of Millersville, told the committee the city is exploring plans that would add bunks at one end of the station to house firefighters; he said the city aims to reserve other spaces for future growth. "We are looking at building on to the end of it and putting bunks in for the EMS," Gorham said in the meeting's public-discussion portion.
County EMS staff and commissioners pushed back. Commissioner Jones described the county’s EMS employees as having "been neglected" and said the county should consider buying the trailer used to house EMS staff rather than continuing to rent it (committee members said the county has spent about $30,000 renting temporary housing). "If we're going to maintain two human beings at that facility to run those ambulances…we need to buy that trailer right away," Jones said.
Why it matters: Millersville officials told the committee the existing living quarters at Bethel Road do not meet modern code and that renovations or an expansion for full-time firefighters would be required. County leaders said the county and the city need a clear, written agreement before the county invests more funds or vacates current sleeping quarters.
Points of dispute and context: County members said they had not been informed in advance about the city's plan. Several commissioners said they were surprised to learn of the city's proposal during the meeting. Millersville's city manager and fire chief said the city has been discussing options with architects and the state fire marshal; the city said it intends to work with the county on any construction so that future expansions could accommodate both firefighters and EMS needs.
Short-term options discussed: Commissioners suggested buying the existing temporary trailer (to avoid ongoing rental costs), seeking a new temporary location for the ambulance, or negotiating written agreements that commit the city to preserve EMS sleeping space or share construction costs. Finance staff and architects cautioned that code and life-safety issues raised by the state fire marshal would constrain short-term fixes.
Next steps: Committee members asked the mayor and Millersville officials to produce a written memorandum of understanding specifying who pays for what, what spaces will be preserved for ambulance personnel and a timeline for any construction. Commissioners also asked staff to provide the committee with the architect’s plans and cost estimates when available.
