Council approves $149,340 from volunteer‑fire enhancement fund for Carlisle Fire Company equipment

Milford City Council approved a request to allocate funds from the city’s volunteer fire company enhancement fund to equip an additional ambulance for the Carlisle Fire Company, voting 7‑0 with one abstention.

Kevin Donovan, EMS captain and assistant chief with Carlisle Fire Company, told council the company had purchased an ambulance to replace an older unit and planned to keep the replaced vehicle as a spare; to put the spare into service the company needs equipment and electronics. Donovan presented a list of needed items and estimated costs, including a power‑load stretcher system (the largest single item, cited at about $77,000), a mechanical CPR device (Lucas device), vacuum splints and pediatric boards, CO monitors and a RAD‑57 unit for advanced monitoring, iPads for electronic patient signatures and CAD integration, radios, and other equipment. Donovan said total equipment needs for the added ambulance totaled about $149,340.

Finance staff reported the enhancement fund balance at about $358,000 as of March 11. Council discussed the request and moved to approve the transfer to allow Carlisle to equip the fourth ambulance; one council member recused/abstained from votes related to the Carlisle requests because they are an apprentice member of the fire company. The motion to authorize the $149,340 (as presented by the fire company) passed with seven yes votes and one abstention.

Donovan said the equipment will improve patient and worker safety, reduce manual lifting, and expand the company’s capacity to keep an additional ambulance in service during peak call volumes.