Fire and EMS seek $35.22 million; chiefs warn of paramedic shortage and aging ambulances

Antonio Stevens, director of the Virgin Islands Fire & Emergency Medical Services (VIFEMS), presented the agency’s FY2026 budget request to the Legislature’s Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance on June 24 and framed the request around staffing, ambulance fleet replacement and facility repairs.

The request: Stevens said the governor’s proposed FY2026 general‑fund allotment for VIFEMS is $35,224,463. He told senators that personnel and fringe account for the lion’s share of the request — roughly 98% of the appropriation — reflecting the agency’s front‑line staffing needs. VIFEMS employs about 285 people, 252 of whom are first responders, Stevens said.

Why it matters: Chiefs across districts warned of a territory‑wide shortage of paramedics, a problem they described as both a local training pipeline issue and part of a national shortage. “We need more paramedics,” Saint Croix EMS chief Robert Brida said; Saint Croix has one employed paramedic on day shifts, chiefs said. VIFEMS leaders said they are pursuing training and recruitment but noted it can take nine months to a year to certify a paramedic and that the cost and staff time for out‑of‑territory programs complicates local efforts.

Fleet and facilities: Stevens updated the committee on recent acquisitions — VIFEMS placed a new fireboat in service in April and has seven ambulances on order through congressional community project funding; the vehicles are scheduled to ship in October 2025. He also described a set of FEMA and insurance‑backed facility repairs and rebuilds across stations on St. Croix and St. Thomas, and said work on the St. Thomas EOC roof and other FEMA public assistance projects is underway.

Grants and billing: VIFEMS listed several federal grants in the FY2026 plan, including Department of Interior technical assistance and maintenance grants and USDA forest‑service wildfire grants. The agency said it has executed a medical‑billing contract (percentage fee) but has not yet drawn collections under the arrangement because the agency needs a separate employer identification number (EIN) and an administrative setup to collect directly rather than rely on the Department of Health’s former billing role.

9‑1‑1 and readiness: The committee discussed CAD/RMS maintenance for 9‑1‑1 dispatch systems and the cost of renewing a five‑year maintenance contract. VIFEMS also described maintenance of emergency generators and ongoing siren repairs. Stevens warned that federal grant timing and procurement delays can threaten construction milestones, and urged the committee to follow grant schedules to avoid clawbacks.

What’s next: Senators asked for follow‑up documents on grants, firm schedules for station rebuilds and documentation on ambulance purchases and medical billing readiness. VIFEMS leaders said they would supply requested details and asked legislators to consider territorial support if federal personnel funding or project deadlines change suddenly.