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Fitzrona EMS chief reports rising call volume, fleet expansion and pilot safety tech
Summary
Fitzrona EMS Chief Patrick Anderson briefed the Verona council on 2024 call volumes, a recent increase in fleet size, staffing and new equipment including integrated cot scales and a pediatric dosing app; he also said state reimbursement rule changes could affect future revenue but amounts are uncertain.
Patrick Anderson, chief of Fitzrona EMS, told the Verona Common Council on April 28 that his district saw rising call volume in 2024 and that the service has expanded its fleet and added new equipment intended to improve patient care and dosing accuracy.
Anderson reported the district population (the cities of Fitchburg, Verona and Verona Township) at about 48,714 and said run revenue from insurance billing offsets some costs; his per‑resident net cost calculation (excluding billing revenue) was about $44.64 per resident for 2024. He said the district operates three paramedic‑level ambulances 24/7 and recently increased the total fleet from five to six vehicles to rotate equipment and cover high‑demand shifts.
Chief Anderson highlighted two operational changes: a new cot with integrated weighing scales and a dosing tool. “We actually integrated it to an app called 1 Dose,” Anderson said, adding the system helps dose pediatric medications accurately and reduces risk of under‑ or overdosing. Anderson said the new cot is durable and provides accurate weights down to about 15 pounds, which is valuable when dosing children.
Staffing and training: Anderson said Fitzrona employs 21 full‑time paramedics, 12–18 part‑time paramedics, a small pool of EMTs/AEMTs for events, two paid interns and one long‑time volunteer paramedic. He said the service recently added a third chief officer (a deputy chief for training and operations) to standardize training across full‑ and part‑time staff and ensure consistent equipment use.
Community programs and grants: Deputy Chief Jeff Dostoik leads community outreach and fall‑prevention efforts. Anderson said the district has a grant to address falls among seniors that paid for lighting and grab bars in some homes and that public CPR and stop‑the‑bleed classes have sold out at the Verona library.
Reimbursements and state rules: Anderson discussed the Wisconsin ground ambulance funding implementation (referred to in training as the cost CPE/ground ambulance transport program). He said forms and first submissions for the retroactive reimbursement program were being completed and that it is unclear how much revenue the district will receive. “It could be very minimal, could be thousands of dollars — to be determined,” Anderson said. He also described a separate effort to seek reimbursement for “no‑transport” assessments so EMS could be compensated when they evaluate but do not transport a patient.
Why it matters: Anderson said call volume has risen about 8% on average in recent years and that Verona accounts for roughly 23–26% of district calls. Fleet size, training and new equipment affect response capacity and patient care. The potential state reimbursements could affect budget projections but are not yet quantified.
Ending: Anderson offered the council an annual report available online and invited members to ask follow‑up questions; he said the district will submit the first reimbursement reports in May and June and expects further clarity after initial submissions.
