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Fire chief: EMS now dominates calls and costs; GEMT reimbursement expected, staffing adjustments forthcoming
Summary
Edgerton’s fire chief told the council that EMS accounts for the majority of the department’s activity and costs (cited at about 87%), reported a drop in Medicare receivables below $1,000,000, said the city applied for a GEMT reimbursement expected to bring roughly $32,000, and noted a pending staff loss and cadet-program successes.
Edgerton’s Fire Chief presented the department’s May report to the council, highlighting that emergency medical services now account for the bulk of the department’s activity and costs and that several operational and financial developments are underway.
The chief said the department recorded about 49 incidents during the month and about 227 year-to-date, noting those figures are slightly below the community’s average. He reported that, for the first time since record-keeping began, outstanding Medicare receivables fell below $1,000,000 and described the cleanup of older outstanding revenue as a positive sign.
On workload, the chief told councilors that “87% of all of our costs and all of our activity are EMS,” a characterization he said was eye-opening compared with earlier expectations. The chief also said the department expects to lose one paramedic candidate to a larger county department and is actively recruiting and backfilling that position.
The department conducted a multi-agency water-rescue exercise with Fort Atkinson Fire, Rock County and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Departments and the Lakes Patrol; the exercise involved more than 50 participants and several simulated victims and generated lessons the chief said the department will incorporate going forward.
Financially, the chief said the city submitted an application for the GEMT (Ground Emergency Medical Transport) reimbursement program; the application is expected to yield just over $32,000 if approved. He said that GEMT was not budgeted and would be treated as additional revenue if received.
The chief also reported on local cadet recognition programs at Milton and Edgerton High Schools and noted at least four cadets have expressed interest in joining the fire department’s intern program.
Councilors did not take formal action on staffing or GEMT during the public report; the chief’s remarks were informational and will inform subsequent budgeting and staffing steps.
