Racine Fire Department shifts EMS costs into separate budget for 2026; council asks for detail
Loading...
Summary
Fire Chief said EMS supplies, wages and training were moved into a separate EMS budget for 2026, explaining a large increase in EMS line items and corresponding decrease in fire suppression lines; council asked how fee schedule changes and lift-fee revisions affect billing and calls.
Racine — Fire Chief Hansen told the Committee of the Whole that the department restructured its 2026 budget to move EMS-related supplies, wages and benefits out of the fire suppression budget and into a new, stand-alone EMS budget. "In the 2026 budget, we are moving EMS related supplies, wages, salaries, and benefits from the main fire suppression and technical rescue budget to its own budget, which is the EMS budget," Hansen said, noting that the shift explains large year-over-year changes in specific line items.
Hansen said the overall package keeps fire staffing and service levels consistent with previous years, and that the separation clarifies costs and revenue for ambulance services. The finance director explained the change also makes it easier to match Medicare/Medicaid billing and external contractor recommendations: the EMS billing contractor advised consolidating frequently used items — oxygen, routinely used supplies — into the base charge instead of billing them separately to ease payer processing.
Council members pressed the chief on specifics: the city’s lift-assist fee has been reduced (reported in the fee schedule to a single flat lift fee), but the department said the volume of so-called "invalid assist" calls (residents needing help up from the floor, etc.) remains high — about 450 such calls year-to-date. Hansen said consolidating frequently used items into the base charge simplifies billing, helps compliance with Medicare/Medicaid requirements and reduces administrative burden for crews.
Aldermen also asked about staffing changes shown in the FTE table. Hansen explained that the department’s apparent FTE fluctuations reflect a mix of SAFER grant-funded positions, referendum funds and ongoing cadet/part-time positions; he said the department is currently at its historical baseline for full-time line staffing and that referendum funds will backfill grant expirations.
The council requested more detail on: the financial effect of the EMS fee restructuring, historical trends in invalid-assist calls, and any budget implications should the county impose future subscriber fees if local agencies join a new regional 800 MHz trunked radio system. Hansen said the city continues to follow county radio planning and participates in chief-level discussions but had no final numbers for subscriber fees.
