Interim Orange County fire chief reports 551 EMS calls in August; staffing vacancies and no-unit-available hours noted

Interim Orange County Fire and EMS Chief Ron Masten briefed the Board of Supervisors Thursday on the department’s August 2025 operational report, saying the department responded to 551 calls in the month and transported 332 patients to area hospitals.

Masten said the department recorded 11 hours in August when no unit was available (the longest single block being two hours), which can extend response times when ambulances are out of district following transports. He told the board an average EMS call lasts about two hours — from dispatch to returning a unit to service.

Chief Masten highlighted community-risk-reduction activity, including a residential-structure-fire response, open-burning complaint responses and plan reviews. He also described the community-paramedic program, which had 20 home visits in August and is intended to reduce low-acuity 911 calls by addressing needs like fall prevention and smoke-alarm checks.

On staffing and training, Masten said the department completed three recruit schools but cautioned that recruit-school completion does not immediately relieve overtime pressure: “From the time we onboard somebody until they are part of minimum staffing, that takes about 11 months,” he said.

Masten reported eight vacancies in the department and two employees leaving for other opportunities; he said the staffing shortfall drives mandatory holdovers and overtime concerns. Fleet maintenance costs reported for August included $16,395 in preventive maintenance and one vehicle requiring major repairs.

Ending: Board members thanked Masten for the report and asked for ongoing monthly updates as the department continues to address staffing, training and response-capacity issues.