House committee hears Fire & EMS budget; department asks to repurpose blueprint funds, flags vacancies and revolving-fund strain

The House Ways and Means Committee on Monday held a public budget hearing with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, where the department outlined staffing vacancies, reliance on three revolving accounts to pay operations and utilities, pending federal grants and a request to repurpose $30,000 set aside for a new fire station blueprint to buy EMS equipment and supplies.

The Department of Fire and EMS told the committee it has 150 personnel across the CNMI and is averaging about 10 emergency medical calls a day. Commissioner Juan Puah said the department is handling nearly 1,000 fire suppression responses and thousands of EMS calls while seeking additional equipment, vehicles and training to maintain response capability.

The briefing mattered because the department said it has depended on three revolving accounts — the ambulance revolving account (1953), the fire safety code account (3563) and the fire lane code account — to pay for fuel, utilities, repairs, medical supplies and overtime when appropriations and reimbursements lag. “We are averaging about 10 calls a day,” Commissioner Juan Puah said. He asked the committee to allow greater flexibility in use of previously appropriated funds so the department can buy supplies and equipment needed for operations.

Committee members pressed the department for details about vacancies, overtime and how revolving funds are being spent. The committee chair, Representative JP Sablan, asked whether vacancies shown on the worksheet were filled after April 1; the department said some funded positions have been filled and some funded positions were reclassified to hire five emergency medical dispatchers instead of two fire crew supervisors. The department estimated overtime at about $24,000 per pay period.

Commissioner Puah described the department’s three revolving funds as the main operational backstop. OMB representative Vicky Villegomez explained the budget is presented as a lump-sum allocation of FTEs and dollars; the department has repurposed two supervisor positions’ funding to hire five emergency medical dispatchers, she said. Committee members asked the administration to provide updated, reconciled balances for each revolving account; the department said figures fluctuate because reimbursements from insurers and Medicaid are irregular.

On capital and equipment needs, the department listed priorities that include a new fire engine and rescue vehicles. Members discussed an existing $30,000 appropriation for a blueprint/master plan for a new fire station in Morphew/Tanapag. The department said it located a government-owned building just south of Tanapag Middle School that DPW inspectors found structurally suitable and proposed renovating it rather than building new. The department requested the committee consider amending the appropriation language so the $30,000 could be used for EMS supplies and equipment instead of an unused blueprint, with the committee agreeing to meet separately on that request.

The department described its ambulance fleet as six vehicles total, four operational on Saipan and one each on Tinian and Rota. Department staff said they applied to the Northern Mariana Housing Corporation (NMHC) for matching assistance to acquire additional ambulances; one exchange noted an Ambulance Type 1 costs roughly $200,000 and that NMHC could provide about $147,000, leaving an estimated local match of about $100,000. The department and members discussed pursuing matching letters and working with NMHC to secure at least two additional ambulances to increase transport revenue for the revolving account.

On training and federal grants, Puah said the department works with federal partners — including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA) and the U.S. Forest Service — and local agencies such as Homeland Security to deliver training and grants that fund equipment and specific projects. The transcript records a $132,000 HRSA award as a line item the department is awaiting, and members were told federal grant levels can vary and may be reduced under a new federal administration, which could affect projected grant funding.

Members raised infrastructure concerns such as fire hydrant readiness and utility costs. Representatives asked about coordination with the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) and whether hydrants are operable; the commissioner said the department calls CUC during structure fires and CUC isolates and reroutes water to provide adequate pressure at the nearest usable hydrant. Lawmakers urged the department and other public-safety agencies to pursue shared solar and communications solutions to reduce recurring utility and communications expenses.

The committee requested several follow-ups: (1) a reconciled update on revolving-account balances, (2) a report on which funded vacancies remain open and which have been filled, (3) details on overtime accrual and scheduling options to reduce overtime costs, and (4) a sidebar meeting on the proposed reallocation of the $30,000 blueprint appropriation. Commissioner Puah said the department will provide vacancy updates and coordinate on matching-fund requests with NMHC and other partners.

Votes at a glance: the committee took two routine procedural voice actions at the start and close of the hearing. Representative JP Sablan called the hearing to order and announced a motion to adopt the agenda; the committee adopted the agenda by voice. The chair later adjourned the hearing.

Members closed the hearing by thanking the department for the presentation and noting the budget requests represent operational needs rather than discretionary wants. The committee scheduled follow-up work on the revolving-account data and the blueprint reallocation request.