Selma Fire Chief says EMS demand rose; department recommends additional ambulance

Fire Chief Webster presented the Selma Fire Department’s 2025 annual report at the April 7 city council meeting, citing increases in medical calls and a decline in fire incidents as the most notable operational trends.

The chief told council the department handled 6,135 total calls in 2025; of those, 4,845 resulted in patient transports. He said EMS calls rose about 4–4.6% compared with the prior year (1,644 EMS calls in 2024 vs. 1,714 in 2025) and that the volume trend supports adding a fourth ambulance to maintain industry response windows. "Total call volume in 2025 was 6,135 calls," he said.

Webster highlighted investments in apparatus and medical equipment — including an ambulance the department received — and thanked the Selma Healthcare District for a grant used to purchase Lucas CPR devices. He also emphasized training, reporting 8,844 hours of training in 2025, and mutual‑aid deployments across California and into Oregon for large wildland and structure incidents.

On performance metrics the chief reported a city‑wide suppression response time averaging 5 minutes, 49 seconds and an EMS response average of 8 minutes, 46 seconds across the broader 125‑square‑mile coverage area; within Selma proper, suppression times averaged about 5:49 with a 56‑second turnout time. Council members thanked the department and asked follow‑up questions about medical response windows and how the department coordinates with Cal Water and other agencies.

The presentation closed with council appreciation and no formal action beyond questions and recognition.

Speakers quoted in this article are drawn directly from the council record: Fire Chief Webster; Mayor Robertson; council members.