EMS chief briefs Verona council on rising call volume, new equipment and training pipeline

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 accurate weights and medication dosing, particularly for pediatric patients. - Training and staffing pipeline: The district added a deputy chief for training and operations, expanded online and practical training, and operates a paid internship in partnership with Madison College that gives students real-world experience while supporting their education. - Community outreach and falls prevention: The district uses grant funds and partnerships with senior centers and county programs to do home assessments and fall-prevention work for older residents.

Anderson said the district has seen call volume increases over recent years (about an 8% average in the last five years) and that Verona accounts for roughly 23–26% of the district's calls. He also described partnerships that supply EMS support at large events and the use of an electric UTV for crowd access.

On reimbursement policy, Anderson outlined a state-level program sometimes referred to as the Wisconsin Ground Ambulance Transport reporting process (a multi-year effort that produced forms in 2025) intended to reimburse part of the cost of transporting medical assistance patients. He described the new reporting requirements as complex and said the financial impact is uncertain until submitted data are reviewed: "It could be very minimal, could be thousands of dollars, to be determined," he said.

Why it matters: The district's investments in training, equipment and a paramedic internship are intended to improve capacity and patient care while addressing rising call volumes and local public-health needs such as falls among older residents. Changes to state reimbursement could alter municipal budget pressures depending on final amounts and rules.

Next steps: Anderson said the district will submit required state reporting for 2023 and 2024 and track reimbursement outcomes; staff will also continue community outreach and training expansions.

Speakers (selected): - Patrick Anderson, EMS chief (district serving Fitchburg and Verona) - Mayor (questioning and acknowledging presentation) - Alder(s) with follow-up questions (unspecified at times in transcript)

Clarifying details: - District population cited: 48,714 (Anderson) - Cost-per-resident estimate (excluding insurance-run revenue): $44.64 (Anderson) - Fleet: three paramedic ambulances in continuous service; total fleet increased from five to six recently (Anderson) - Staffing: about 21 full-time paramedics, 12–18 part-time paramedics, three part-time AEMTs/EMTs, two paid interns and one long-serving volunteer paramedic (Anderson) - Participation: Verona accounts for roughly 23–26% of district calls (Anderson) - Equipment: use of Hinckley Medical cot scales integrated with dosing app to improve pediatric dosing accuracy (Anderson) - Internship: paid EMS internship in partnership with Madison College, trainees receive classroom and field experience with partial tuition support and paid hours (Anderson)

Authorities referenced: - Wisconsin Ground Ambulance Transport reporting program (state-level reporting mechanism; chief described timing and implementation status)

Topics:[{"name":"ems_services","justification":"Presentation covers EMS operational metrics, equipment, staffing and state reimbursement policy affecting local budgets.","scoring":{"topic_relevance":0.98,"depth_score":0.85,"opinionatedness":0.03,"controversy":0.10,"civic_salience":0.70,"impactfulness":0.65,"geo_relevance":1.00}}]

Speakers:[{"name":"Patrick Anderson","role_title":"EMS chief","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Local EMS district serving Fitchburg and Verona"}],