Sawyer County committee hears Edgewater, Sand Lake concerns over ambulance coverage and dispatch; staff to provide data and pursue planning grant

The Sawyer County Public Safety Committee on an otherwise routine agenda spent the bulk of its meeting addressing ambulance coverage, dispatch communication and response-time concerns raised by residents and town officials from Edgewater and Sand Lake.

The discussion opened when Linda Zollmer of Edgewater urged the committee to review ambulance reporting and staffing, saying the county "does not include" Birchwood 4 Corners in its 2017 ambulance study and that she could not find a complete ambulance report for 2024. Zollmer said towns were seeking clearer information on runs and "pay grades for EMS that might help provide a clue as to recruiting and retaining people."

The committee heard a report from the county emergency services representative, Mr. Fremmel, who said the county’s pilot third crew has reduced average response times. "Our actual average response times are actually dropped a lot. They're 11.54 minutes right now," he said, adding he expects a six-month evaluation in June and a full report by July on whether to continue the staffing model. Fremmel also reported a new ambulance nearing completion and warned of equipment and maintenance costs after a vendor for video laryngoscopes went out of business.

Why it matters: Town leaders said long travel times and repeated dual responses — where a town service and the county both respond — increase costs and expose gaps in coverage. Town representatives said they are exploring contracting options and want the county to clarify whether assessments could be adjusted if a town procures its own service.

Town representatives framed the concerns as practical. Pete Baraboo, identified as a town chairman and business owner, described an incident where three ambulances responded to a single crash and said those outcomes were "not doing any good for the county" or the individuals involved. The town attorney, Mr. Kelsey, said Sand Lake and Edgewater are asking only to "explore, working with the county" on contracting or subcontract arrangements under Chapter 59.

County staff and providers debated operational causes. County staff described several recurring problems: nonresident ambulance services entering Sawyer County without coordinating on dispatch radio channels, inconsistent call-off communications, and staffing variability at smaller providers that affects reliability. One dispatcher explained the challenge: when outside services enter Sawyer County they sometimes do not communicate with Sawyer dispatchers on local radio channels, leaving county units to respond "assuming the worst."

County Administrator Andy (Alvarado) told the committee that townships can direct which local provider dispatch will send for calls within their borders, but said the EMS levy is countywide and cannot simply be removed for individual towns. He said removing one or two townships would not reduce overall staffing needs and would not materially lower the county’s cost structure unless many towns opted out.

Several county officials urged improved on-scene communications and a formal convening. Committee members and providers agreed to request more data for analysis: call volumes, canceled/called-off responses, response times by location and time of day, and staffing levels. Fremmel agreed to provide wage-rate information for EMTs and paramedics (paramedics roughly $30/hour, advanced EMTs in the mid-$20s, EMTs around $20, according to county payroll data provided at the meeting).

A state-funded planning process is already underway in the area: a group of towns obtained an Innovation Planning Grant to study ambulance response, communications and non-transporting emergency medical responders. The county’s consultant has requested call-volume and response-time data to assess options for reducing costs through consolidation or shared services.

What the committee directed: Members asked county staff, local providers and the state EMS agency to meet and clarify on-scene authority, transport responsibility and dispatch protocols. The committee also asked staff to produce the requested run-level data for the consultant and to circulate detailed wage information so the committee can consider recruitment and retention options.

The discussion remained a mix of public comment, operational reporting and direction to staff; no committee vote was taken to change service boundaries or levy practices. Committee members said the next steps will be data collection, a facilitated meeting with providers and the consultant’s analysis under the existing planning grant.

Ending: Committee members said they want updates at future meetings after the consultant receives county data and Fremmel completes his six-month pilot report.