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Council reviews fire and EMS budget increases for equipment, ambulance and licensing plans
Summary
The council discussed modest increases to fire equipment supplies, possible ambulance licensing as a quick response unit, a $250,000‑class ambulance estimate, and use of wildland deployments to generate revenue for apparatus replacement.
Council members and staff reviewed proposed changes to the fire and emergency medical services (EMS) budgets and described plans for licensing, equipment replacement and staffing.
Staff said the largest change in the fire budget was an increase in the fire equipment and supplies line from about $45,000 to $55,000 to replace expiring personal protective equipment and other gear. The proposed budget reduced wages slightly (reflecting changes to the fire department structure) and shifted money into supplies; staff said the overall fire budget remains essentially unchanged compared with last year.
Nut graf: The council discussed whether to pursue license changes to operate as a licensed “quick response unit” and the financial implications of obtaining an ambulance. Staff described licensing as administratively straightforward but noted inspection and equipment standards apply; staff estimated a new ambulance costs about $250,000 and specialized cot/lift equipment could cost about $15,000. Council members noted that a licensed transport rig could generate transport revenue but also requires staffing and initial capital.
Staff reported the city has about $40,000–$50,000 set aside in the EMS account and proposed placing additional funds in that account for a future ambulance, while cautioning that the municipality still needs to meet staffing and licensing prerequisites before transport operations would be feasible. Staff and council also discussed enlistment of mutual‑aid partners for crew support (Spanish Fork was mentioned as a cooperating agency for wildland deployments), and said revenue from EMAC/IREC deployments reduces local cost and can help finance future vehicles.
On wildland resources, staff said brush truck B‑192 is aging and might need replacement; the city’s crews have been deployed frequently and the chief said increased deployments can generate revenue to offset replacements. Council and staff talked about recruiting and training an additional engine boss and about hiring young, year‑round crew members to maintain readiness for deployments.
Ending: Council did not adopt new policy at the workshop but directed staff to refine cost estimates for ambulance acquisition and licensing, to continue growing EMS reserves, and to present firmer figures for equipment replacement and staffing at the next budget review.
