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Commissioners to revisit Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad funding after volunteers report ambulances failing
Summary
Commissioners heard that the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad has experienced equipment failures and said staff should return May 21 with options; some commissioners proposed buying one ambulance as a stopgap while staff review rescue-tax allocations and revolving loan options.
St. Mary's County commissioners on May 14 discussed a funding shortfall reported by the Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad and asked staff to return with options at the next work session.
Commissioner Daniel L. Morris told colleagues that, over several years, accounting and allocation issues left the Hollywood squad short approximately $394,000 and that the squad currently had multiple ambulances in need of repair. Morris said one ambulance recently suffered a blown head gasket while carrying a patient and another experienced electronics failures.
Why it matters: volunteer rescue squads provide emergency medical response and transport; commissioners expressed concern about vehicles failing while in use. Commissioners discussed whether to cover the shortfall directly, direct the squad to apply for a low-interest loan from the county's Fire & Rescue Revolving Loan Fund, or make the squad whole with a one-time county allocation to acquire at least one functioning ambulance.
Staff said the county's revolving loan fund has about $1 million available; loans historically carry a very low interest rate (the session cited a half-percent rate). County staff also explained that rescue tax revenues are allocated by taxing district while EMS dispatch follows the closest-available/first-available unit model, which can cause squads to respond outside the taxing district where they do not receive the rescue-tax revenue for that response.
Commissioners asked for additional accounting information and for staff to evaluate options, including whether a loan application or a one-time county allocation is appropriate. Several commissioners said they would rather see the squad apply for a loan from the revolving fund; others urged urgency to avoid risking patient safety. Commissioner Morris said, "All I'm asking is to make them whole on what they were shortchanged, that's all." The board scheduled the issue to be taken up at the May 21 work session for a final recommendation.
Ending: Staff will prepare options for May 21 that could include a loan from the revolving fund, a one-time county allocation for an ambulance, or adjustments to rescue-tax allocations based on a review of district lines and dispatching practices.
