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Lancaster County EMS chief seeks pay, staffing and equipment increases in FY2026 budget
Summary
Lancaster County emergency services presented a budget that raises volunteer rescue and fire contributions, absorbs a state contract for electronic patient-care records and requests pay and staffing increases to address recruitment and retention.
Lancaster County Emergency Services Chief Matt Smith told the Board of Supervisors on March 25 that the county’s EMS budget for fiscal year 2026 includes higher contributions to volunteer rescue and fire departments, stepped-up pay for full‑time staff and new costs tied to a state contract shift for electronic patient-care records.
The request is anchored by two requested increases the board discussed at the budget hearing: raising the county’s long-standing volunteer rescue squad contribution from $115,000 to $173,250 and increasing annual funding for the three volunteer fire departments to $413,546.10 after a 10 percent agreed increase by the departments. “The contribution, it's been at hundred and 15,000 for quite some time,” Chief Smith said, adding that operating costs and mechanical and protection‑equipment expenses have risen countywide.
Why it matters: county leaders heard the presentation as staffing and…
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