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Fire/EMS committee update: staffing, grants and facility planning discussed
Summary
The EMS committee reported the department is fully staffed for the first time in a long time, outlined grant and recruitment work, and described next steps on a potential new facility and a third‑party EMS RFP.
City and EMS leaders gave the City Council an update on the EMS committee’s recommendations, covering grant writing, recruitment, training partnerships and facility planning.
The presenter told the council Mineral Wells EMS is fully staffed with 13 paramedics and two additional personnel in school; another paramedic is expected next fiscal year. Staff described outreach and recruitment efforts that include attending career fairs and a third‑rider program that allows students to ride with the EMS crew for experience. The presenter said attendance at Weatherford College and cooperation with PPGH have been part of recruitment and education efforts.
Staff reported they consulted Lexipol about grant writing costs: Lexipol would charge about $3,000 to write narratives if the city provides analytical data, or $6,000 if Lexipol provides the data. Staff described the SAFER grant as a federal program that can fund hiring for up to three years with variable federal contribution rates; Lexipol’s success rate was cited on the record as about 54 percent. The presenter said staff will seek additional comparisons before deciding to hire an external grant writer and will return to council when a notice of funding opportunity is posted.
The EMS presenter said a draft RFP for third‑party EMS services is in development and staff hopes to present it before next year’s budget discussions. The presenter also described meetings with architects and Hilltop Securities to assess facility and financing options and noted the EMS committee will continue; council members were asked to appoint replacements as committee membership changes.
No binding council action was taken; the presentation was informational and staff will bring contract or budget items to council as required.
