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Committee accepts donations, HazMat grant and ambulance-rate action; approves bomb-robot grant
Summary
Committee authorized acceptance of donated tools for the fire department, accepted a HazMat election-support grant, approved private ambulance service agreements and accepted a $25,000 Homeland Security grant to replace an aging bomb robot.
The Public Safety and Health Committee on Jan. 9 approved multiple measures affecting firefighting, HazMat response and emergency medical transport, including acceptance of donated equipment, grant funding to support HazMat operations during the 2024 election cycle, approval of private ambulance agreement rate changes for 2025, and acceptance of a bomb-robot grant for the Milwaukee Police Department bomb squad.
Chief Aaron Lipsky of the Milwaukee Fire Department asked the committee to accept a donation of Milwaukee Tool work lights, chargers and batteries, saying the items are used in heavy-rescue and firefighting operations and that the department is ‘‘dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s’’ to accept the gift. The committee approved the acceptance by voice vote with no recorded objections (File 241359).
The committee also adopted a substitute resolution accepting a Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs election-support grant to bolster regional HazMat resources ahead of the 2024 election cycle. The HazMat team director briefed the committee that the team stood up additional resources at the request of the state and regional partners; the grant covers those incremental costs so the city would not bear the expense (File 241360).
On private ambulance services, committee members discussed an update to the city’s agreements with Bell and Curtis ambulance companies that implements proposed 2025 per-run rate changes and subsidy arrangements to preserve Basic Life Support transport capacity. Chief Lipsky and staff described the context: a 2021–22 private ambulance departure left coverage gaps that private companies later filled, and federal reimbursement rates and local payer mix make private participation financially challenging. Committee discussion referenced an estimated 5% per-run increase and an approximate 7% estimated increase in run volume; Wayne Jarecki, vice president and chief operating officer of Bell Ambulance, said he would follow up with requested operational data. The resolution to move forward with the rates and agreements was adopted without recorded objection (File 241361).
The committee also approved a Homeland Security grant to purchase a new large-scale bomb robot and attachments for the MPD bomb squad (File 241364). Sergeant Elizabeth of the MPD Bomb Squad told the committee the department’s previous primary robot was about 22 years old and had been nonfunctional at times; the new grant-funded robot is interoperable with other state bomb squads and is expected to be more robust.
All items in this grouping were adopted by voice vote with no objections recorded in committee.
Ending
Committee members thanked department leaders for the updates and requested follow-up data on ambulance operational metrics and on the Bomb Squad’s maintenance plan. Implementation will proceed through the respective departments and procurement processes.
