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Fire and police report monthly activity; town warned ambulance coverage can be out of area
Summary
Fire and police presented monthly activity reports: the fire department reported dozens of medical responses and explained that regional ambulance coverage can leave the town without a local ambulance at times; police reported several arrests, traffic stops and an uptick in thefts.
Stevensville public-safety staff presented monthly reports to the council outlining emergency-response volumes and staffing limits.
Fire department staff reported 57 requests for service in the month of March (28 in town, 35 in the Island District as read in the report) and two missed calls when no responders were available. The department noted that while Stevensville will have a paramedic-staffed ambulance on paper 24/7, that ambulance may be out of the area for transfers — for example, the department said a recent two-day transfer to Seattle left Stevensville dependent on a backup ambulance from Hamilton, causing response delays of 25 to 30 minutes at times.
Fire staff and council emphasized that those coverage gaps are regional: there are four paramedic ambulances serving the valley, and resource availability can shift when units are working out-of-area transfers. The council heard the department’s Quality Assurance work and coordination with neighboring agencies are intended to mitigate coverage gaps.
The police report noted several arrests during March (including juvenile citations), four arrests overall, 25 traffic stops and nine traffic citations; officers reported a small increase in thefts compared with typical months. Officer Franklin’s upcoming graduation from the academy was announced.
Councilors asked clarifying questions and were told staff will continue to monitor mutual-aid arrangements and report back if coverage or staffing changes materially affect local response times.
