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County approves $431,300 EMS subsidy and discusses ambulance backups
Summary
Commissioners approved the EMS contract subsidy of $431,300 for the year, discussed recent ambulance outages and repair costs, and directed staff to maintain backup capacity by holding at least one trade-in vehicle and coordinating storage with Williamsport Fire.
Warren County commissioners voted to approve the countys EMS agreement for the coming year, confirming a county subsidy of $431,300.
During discussion EMS staff described recent fleet disruptions, including a truck that was T-boned and another with a fuel leak; staff said repairs have ranged from a couple days to several weeks and that a rental ambulance recently cost roughly $200 per day. The office said surrounding agencies provided mutual aid during outages and proposed keeping one older unit as a backup rather than selling it immediately to preserve service continuity.
Commissioners heard that Williamsport Fire agreed to house one backup ambulance and that some units would remain stocked at the hospital in an ALS configuration to be ready for calls. Staff also said the countys insurance does not always cover rentals or replacements unless a vehicle is stolen or totaled.
The board approved the EMS contract on a motion and voice vote. Commissioners also approved payment of a small ambulance repair bill discussed in the public-safety account.
Next steps include continuing to monitor fleet maintenance schedules, assessing the cost-effectiveness of rentals vs. keeping older apparatus as backups, and coordination with neighboring agencies for mutual aid.
