Rangeley study recommends town consider fire‑based EMS after financial review

A study presented at a Rangeley workshop recommended the town consider assuming EMS responsibility through a fire‑based municipal model, arguing it could improve local accountability and response reliability while producing a modest operating surplus under conservative assumptions.

The study team — represented by Chief Bacon and Jim Higgins — told residents the advisory group reconstructed a local EMS model after Main Health resisted providing Rangeley‑specific financial data. “Without the necessary data, we shifted our approach,” Chief Bacon said, summarizing the group’s work and the limits of vendor disclosures.

Higgins walked the meeting through two conservative transport scenarios. Using a 250‑transport model the team estimated billed transport revenue just under $430,000 (after a 6% billing fee, roughly $404,000 net) and projected a modest net gain after operating costs. Under a 300‑transport scenario — a level some attendees said current dispatch records approach — the study showed a larger net surplus. Higgins told the room, “we found an error in our numbers. We fixed them today,” and said revised exhibits were posted with the executive summary.

The presenters listed capital asks and assumptions: two ambulances (quoted examples totalling roughly $495,000) plus outfitting (~$193,000), payroll and benefits around $510,000, operating and supply lines, and a conservative payer mix assumption (roughly 72% Medicare/Medicaid, 27% private). For the 250‑transport example the presenters showed a projected net of about $100,000 (≈13% margin); for 300 transports the modeled net rose to roughly $181,000 (≈21% margin). The presenters emphasized that those figures assume high collection performance and conservative payer‑mix inputs.

Presenters also outlined a tentative timeline: recruit a paramedic in September to lead hiring, onboard staff in November for training, and target a January 1 start if the board directs a transition and regulatory steps (licensing/contracting/insurances) proceed.

But the study’s authors repeatedly cautioned the financial case depends on unresolved data and implementation risks. “Main Health provided appendices but not the level of detail needed for meaningful analysis,” Chief Bacon said. The presenters committed to further follow‑up, including obtaining uncollectible/bad‑debt data from billing partners and examples from other communities that have moved to municipal models.

The workshop did not produce a vote or directive; presenters said the report was submitted for the board to consider and asked residents to send written questions to staff. The board did not adopt any changes at the meeting.