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Swanzey fire chief reports growth in staffing and raises questions about town-run ambulance service
Summary
Fire Chief Eric Matson reported higher call volumes and a gain in staffing to 32 personnel and outlined steps the department has taken to shorten hiring timelines; he and the board discussed potential costs, billing/unbillable calls, backup coverage and capital needs if the town pursues its own ambulance service.
Chief Eric Matson and deputies updated the Select Board on recent operations, staffing and an exploratory discussion about a town-run ambulance service.
Matson said June–August call totals for the department were 106, 90 and 121 respectively, with EMS calls accounting for the majority; he estimated the department was on track for roughly 1,100 calls for the year. Matson said the department has improved recruitment and onboarding cadence — digitizing conditional offer paperwork and cutting time-to-hire from about six weeks to roughly three — and has added several new hires; the department’s active roster stood at 32 members at the meeting.
Board members asked for more detail on a proposal discussed by department leadership to provide ambulance service directly rather than relying solely on Cheshire EMS or contracted backup. Matson and deputy leaders outlined items the board would need to consider: two ambulances (one immediate and a second the next year for redundancy and maintenance rotation), capital and outfitting costs, ongoing supplies and medication costs (which the board noted would likely increase), staffing levels and pay, overtime and shift coverage, and backup contracts for when town ambulances are unavailable.
Matson discussed billing and collections. He said a portion of calls (roughly 20% as presented) are effectively uncollectible or unbillable and that call volume can include back-to-back incidents that prevent crews from making subsequent calls. "That 20% of the $7.50 figured on last year's numbers brings that down," he said, describing initial assumptions used in a draft financial model. He also noted the region’s pay rates; neighboring departments had starting pay ranges in the $18–$24/hour range as part of the market context.
Select Board members asked the department to prepare a fuller package if it wishes to pursue a town-run ambulance: a clear statement of benefit to Swanzey residents, total cost estimates (capital, staffing, supplies), an overtime and shift‑coverage plan, worst‑case backup-cost scenarios and assumptions about billing rates and expected collection. Board chair and other members said they would be more comfortable seeing a backup agreement with a full-time paid service rather than volunteer departments for primary backup coverage.
Matson said the department already provides mutual aid and that the proposed staffing model would create two full-time people available 24/7 in addition to on-call staff, which would also change on‑scene capacity for daytime and overnight calls.
Ending — The Select Board asked Matson and staff to return with a detailed financial and operational plan if the department wants to pursue a town-operated ambulance service, including answers about capital funding sources, backup contracts and a realistic billing-collection assumption.
