Laurel emergency services report rise in calls for 2025; departments cite training, equipment needs and fundraising

The City of Laurel Emergency Services Committee heard Jan. 26 that police, fire and ambulance services logged higher call volumes in 2025 and are pursuing equipment, training and funding to meet continuing demand.

Police Chief Jarred Anglin told the committee the FAP facility handled 9,903 calls for service in 2025, an increase of 241 calls over 2024. Anglin’s report listed 1,130 reported crimes for the year, of which 551 resulted in charges filed; the department made 116 arrests. The department received donated ballistic vests and rifle plates for officers and plans to seek a $70,000 grant to replace aging patrol laptops with ten new Panasonic Toughbooks. The department also plans to purchase a rifle-rated ballistic shield for patrol use.

Fire Chief JW Hopper reported the fire department recorded roughly 100 more calls in 2025 than in the prior year and logged 4,469 firefighter training hours for 2025; the report noted those training hours were unpaid time. The department is transitioning incident reporting to a new platform (Emergency Networking) and received a $5,000 site-safety award. Chief Hopper also outlined a department fundraiser on Feb. 14 to support emergency services.

Ambulance Chief Lyndy Gurchiek told the committee ambulance calls increased by about 100 in 2025. Gurchiek reported three missed calls during the recent reporting period where crews were already on other calls and AMR responded. The ambulance service has a newly striped unit awaiting registration and licensing, funded in part through community donations and fundraisers. Gurchiek said she is serving on Montana’s Rural Health Transformation Program Stakeholder Advisory Committee, which will advise how federal stabilization funds are spent statewide to support recruitment, retention and rural care access.

Committee materials and presenters emphasized interagency coordination: dispatchers continued to handle increased intake and triage, and the departments plan quarterly joint training to maintain cooperation. Animal Control Officer Sauter’s work was highlighted as absorbing many lower-priority calls (abandoned vehicles, parking, animal complaints), freeing sworn officers for investigations and priority responses.

The reports set out priorities for the coming budget cycle: equipment replacement (patrol laptops, a rifle shield), continuing investment in officer and firefighter protective equipment, sustaining training and credentialing for EMS staff, and continued community fundraising. No formal budget decisions were made at the meeting; items were presented for committee awareness and future consideration.

The Emergency Services Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers.