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Durham County officers warn EMS system is stressed; budget includes new ambulances and staff
Summary
County emergency services detailed a gap analysis showing call volume has risen sharply and the deployment model is about a decade out of date; manager recommended 10 EMS FTEs, five replacement ambulances and one new ambulance for FY27 to reduce hours of unit unavailability and call holding.
Durham County Office of Emergency Services directors told commissioners that increased call volumes have stretched EMS capacity and that the recommended FY27 budget includes additions designed to reduce peak shortages.
“our call volume is going up and our resources are being stretched thin,” OES Director Mark Lockhart said, describing an average 2–3% annual growth in calls historically and an aggregate ~21% rise between FY21 and FY25 that has left the system stressed during demand hours.
Lockhart and EMS leadership said a gap analysis showed the current county EMS deployment model is about 10 years old relative to present demand patterns; staff said the system exceeds available units about 16 hours a day during demand windows, producing routine holding of lower‑priority calls and occasional delays on higher‑priority responses.
Chief Kamansky described steps underway to shore up operations: a tiered response model that distinguishes calls appropriate for basic EMT crews from those requiring paramedics, expanded recruitment and an adjusted hiring/process pipeline; the department reports 43 hires in the current fiscal year to date, with 15 new staff starting June 1.
To address persistent shortages, the manager’s recommended budget includes 10 full‑time EMS positions (staff said most would be used to create peak‑period units), five replacement ambulances and one new ambulance located to fill identified demand gaps. Staff said they are also exploring shorter‑lead ambulance platforms (12–14 months delivery) that would reduce current 30–36 month wait times for new units.
Commissioners asked for follow‑up data: a compensation comparison for EMS roles against neighboring counties, a breakdown of the cost and timing to implement the recommended positions and ambulances, and an assessment of how development and rezonings should factor into future station siting and staffing decisions.
Staff committed to provide comparative pay data, updated implementation timelines, and additional metrics linking service demand to facility and staffing needs in follow‑up briefings.
