Milford fire chief urges end to $500,000 EMS revenue cap as department hits limit

Milford27s fire chief told the Board of Aldermen on April 22 that the city27s EMS billing program has become a significant revenue stream but is constrained by a $500,000 cap that he says hurts the department.

Chief Anthony Fbrees said the department has generated about "$2.3 million" in billing through April 21 and is on pace to bring in between $2.5 million and $2.7 million this fiscal year. Under the current arrangement, he said, the revenue is split 75% to the city and 25% to the fire department, but once the department reaches its $500,000 cap "all of the revenue, 100% goes to the city general fund."

Why it matters: Fbrees and other chiefs said EMS revenue currently funds critical equipment contracts, training and overtime that otherwise would increase pressure on the operating budget. The department reported having filled its vacancies but continuing to rely on overtime until academy recruits graduate, and chiefs described rising call volume (from roughly 4,500 calls a year in 1993 to about 10,000 now) and a larger share of EMS responses.

At the April hearing, members pressed the chief on details. Battalion Chief Jeffrey Luciano and Assistant Chiefs Christopher Wakes Norris and Steven Rabel described how the department secured roughly $818,000 in grants over the past three years that paid for SCBA replacement, marine equipment and an SCBA compressor. The chief said the department had also sought roughly $230,000 to replace early-warning sirens along the shoreline and noted that grant success depends on reliable data collection and staffing to gather it.

Aldermen asked about the origin of the $500,000 cap, the legal process needed to change it and whether removing the cap would destabilize the city budget. Fbrees said he had proposed phasing changes — for example, removing the cap and maintaining the split — and had submitted proposals previously to two mayors. Several aldermen said the timing to address the cap is now, before the city becomes historically reliant on revenue above the cap.

The board did not vote on the EMS revenue split or cap at the session. The chief also emphasized staffing and facilities needs, saying the department has not had a manpower increase in decades and that options include applying for a SAFER grant that subsidizes salaries for a limited period.

What27s next: Fbrees said he has submitted scaled proposals to the mayor and to past administrations and expects the question of EMS revenue allocation to return to the board for formal consideration. Aldermen asked for data and cost-benefit analyses to justify any change.

Sources: Chief Anthony Fbrees and his command staff spoke at the Board of Aldermen budget hearing on April 22, 2026.