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Council adopts special-event EMS rates and agrees to cover half the cost for permitted events
Summary
City Council accepted a new special-event EMS rate schedule proposed by Chief LaJoie and voted to subsidize half of the cost for permitted events, while asking the chief to align coverage with NFPA event-safety guidance.
The Caribou City Council on June 15 approved a special-event emergency-medical-services rate schedule and separately voted to pay 50% of event-coverage costs for permitted events, following a presentation by Fire Chief LaJoie.
Chief LaJoie proposed an hourly minimum for dedicated event coverage (example: an ALS ambulance crew at approximately $175 per hour) to cover overtime, equipment depreciation and fuel. He also recommended aligning coverage conditions with NFPA guidance for motorsports venues and other higher-risk events so employees are not placed in unsafe conditions.
Councilors discussed the interplay between event-coverage fees and patient billing when an attendee becomes a patient during an event. One councilor asked whether event coverage should be higher to account for supplies and the risk that insurance reimbursement covers only a portion of on-scene costs; another suggested moving the base rate modestly higher or using paramedic staffing for higher-risk events. Mayor and council ultimately passed a motion to accept the chief’s rate schedule and a separate motion directing the city to subsidize half the cost of permitted event coverage, consistent with the prior year’s approach.
Why it matters: The policy clarifies how the city will support event safety while sharing costs with event promoters; tying coverage to safety standards seeks to protect first responders.
What’s next: Chief LaJoie will finalize the event-rate schedule language and work with the manager’s office to implement a process for permitting and fee waivers on a per-event basis.
