Door County board orders staff study on mid‑county EMS station after extensive presentation and debate

Aaron LeClaire, Door County’s EMS director, told the county board that demand for emergency medical services has grown steadily over the past decade and that response gaps remain in the county’s central/northern townships. He presented monthly call‑volume charts that show increases from about 150 calls per month a decade ago to nearly 350 in some months in 2024 and said off‑season calls have risen alongside peak season demand.

LeClaire walked supervisors through municipal response‑time comparisons and NFPA benchmarks, noting the county does not fit neatly into urban or volunteer standards. He said a centrally sited “middle” station could cut response times roughly in half in some areas and showed GIS coverage maps projecting improved 5‑, 10‑ and 15‑minute response bands. “I believe it’s our station is becoming more of a priority,” LeClaire said during his remarks.

Multiple public speakers urged board action. Tom Wilson, a Jacksonport town official, said seasonal tourism and dispersed settlement patterns create disparities in ambulance access. John Heller, Village President of Egg Harbor, said his community would partner with the county and argued Egg Harbor would be an appropriate site. Fire Chief Justin McDonald of the Village of Veil Harbor said his area waited about 18 minutes for an ambulance on a recent nonemergency call and warned: “Every minute counts in an emergency.”

Supervisors pressed staff on costs, staffing and options. LeClaire said capital costs for a facility were included in the proposed capital improvement plan across 2026–27 and that the department planned to staff the site primarily by shifting existing resources (no new full‑time hires were requested for 2026). He estimated the full cost to staff a six‑person squad at roughly $704,000 in annual personnel costs if the board later chose that staffing model. He also described reusable reserve funds for island and museum repairs elsewhere in county accounts when asked about funding sources.

Board members asked for comparisons to other counties, benchmarks for emergent vs. nonemergent calls, and clarity about fallback staffing options if future budgets cannot sustain full staffing. Supervisors also raised budgetary priorities—particularly the county’s pending communications upgrade—and emphasized the need to track response‑time metrics regularly.

After roughly three hours of presentation and questions, the board voted to approve Resolution 2025‑584, authorizing staff to investigate and recommend a location for the proposed mid‑county EMS station. The resolution directs staff to report back with recommended siting information; it did not appropriate funds or change staffing levels.

Next steps: staff will report location options and financial implications to the board (the resolution directs staff study and recommendation); any capital or personnel requests would return to the board for separate approval.