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EMS chief briefs Verona council on rising call volume, new equipment and training pipeline
Summary
Patrick Anderson, chief of the local EMS district covering Verona and Fitchburg, told the council the district added ambulances and technology in 2024, is expanding training and internship programs with Madison College, and is monitoring state reimbursement changes that could affect future budgets.
Patrick Anderson, EMS chief for the district that serves the cities of Fitchburg and Verona and the surrounding township, briefed the Verona Common Council on 2024 operations and 2025 priorities, describing increases in call volume, recent equipment upgrades and training and outreach initiatives.
Anderson said the district's population was about 48,714 and when insurance-run revenue is excluded the district's operating cost equates to roughly $44.64 per resident. "We are pretty smack dab in the middle of, what it costs to run most EMS services, here in Dane County," Anderson said, describing the district's cost position compared with other county agencies.
The chief listed several operational changes and investments completed or under way: - Fleet: The district runs three paramedic-level ambulances 24/7 and recently increased total ambulances from five to six to provide rotation and reserve capacity. - Staffing: The district employs about 21 full-time paramedics plus a mix of part-time paramedics, AEMTs/EMTs, paid interns and one long-serving volunteer paramedic. - Equipment: The district bought Hinckley Medical cot scales integrated with a dosing app (one-weight/one-dose) to provide…
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