Templeton Fire Chief: ambulance revenue up, but department seeks more personnel and central station study

Fire Chief reported to the Select Board that Templeton's ambulance operations passed the state ALS ambulance inspection and that a tanker purchased earlier is now in service. He described routine apparatus maintenance, replacement needs and ongoing training for personnel.

The chief told the board that ambulance billing receipts have risen, from roughly $250,000 in 2016–17 to more than $600,000 last year, and that those receipts have funded ambulances and EMS capital purchases without taxation. He said the department anticipates capital needs — two cardiac monitors for roughly $100,000 — that could be covered from ambulance receipts.

At the same time, the chief warned that crew availability strains response coverage. He described cases in which transport destinations were farther than usual when nearby hospitals were unavailable and said crews often are committed for multiple hours on larger incidents. He asked the board to consider adding three to five personnel for the coming year to improve coverage and to support plans for better station siting; he said: "I do agree with you on the centrally located fire station, and I've been a proponent of that for a number of years."

The board discussed vehicle procurement choices (buy vs. lease) and cost tradeoffs. No immediate funding vote occurred; the item will be considered in capital and operating budget planning.