Georgetown Fire Department warns EMS demand rising; chiefs outline staffing, response and wildfire efforts

Georgetown Fire Department leadership told the City Council workshop that emergency medical services (EMS) demand and overall calls for service have increased sharply in recent years, straining available ambulances and fire stations and prompting planning for station additions, schedule changes and regional coordination.

The chief summarized operational data showing call growth from about 11,000 calls in 2020 to roughly 16,000 calls in 2024 and described year‑over‑year EMS call growth of about 9 percent. The department said increases are driven by rapid population growth, higher concentrations of multifamily housing in some corridors, more long‑term care facilities and greater service demand across the city and its emergency service district (ESD).

Response performance and capacity: the chief described the department’s operational target as arriving within nine minutes for high‑priority incidents 90 percent of the time (the department’s “A” grade target). The chief said current 90th‑percentile times are closer to 14 minutes for city responses and about 17 minutes in the ESD, and that the department is meeting a nine‑minute response about 50 percent of the time. The chief also explained a utilization metric for ambulances where the department seeks to keep each unit busy no more than roughly 25–30 percent of the time; presenters said observed utilization frequently reached 40–45 percent and that probability models show the system can run out of ambulances between roughly 20 and 60 percent of the time depending on hour and day.

Staffing and workforce health: presenters described a workforce with a sizable share of relatively recent hires (about 50 percent of staff with less than 10 years’ experience; roughly 30 percent with less than 5) and noted that many supervisory personnel are becoming eligible for retirement in the next five years. The department reported hiring gains after adopting single‑role paramedic positions and a 48‑hour schedule, and said attrition remains a planning factor — particularly if the city shifts to more “green academy” hires with less prior experience.

Finance and operations: the chief presented revenue figures tied to patient transport reimbursement (citing an example increase from about $439 to $565 per transport on average) and noted that although revenue has increased, the department added only one additional ambulance since 2020 (a fifth ambulance when Station 7 opened in 2021). The chief said the November ESD election to approve a sales and use tax was favorable and is expected to begin delivering revenue in mid‑year; staff estimated the ESD tax could generate about $4.5–$5 million annually to help build out system capacity.

Wildfire mitigation and regional coordination: the department described wildfire risk in the region, said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is collaborating on prescribed burns across tens of hundreds of acres (the chief cited 2,400 acres of federal property where prescribed burns and rehabilitation are planned), and said the department conducted a successful prescribed burn in December with another planned in March.

Next steps and planning: the department described near‑term items including a Station 1 remodel expected to begin construction in the summer, Station 8 planning, schedule changes to the workweek model and continued regional coordination with neighboring providers on shared resources (hazmat, transport, wall‑time at hospitals). The chief said the department is pursuing call‑avoidance strategies (community paramedicine, hospital coordination to reduce turnaround and wall time, partnerships with private ambulance providers) and intends to return to council with formal proposals as planning progresses.