Commissioners and fire/EMS leaders warn of rising calls, grant step‑down and funding squeeze

Fire and EMS leaders told Putnam County commissioners on July 14 that response demand is increasing and grant support that recently funded new positions will reduce over time, intensifying pressure on the county’s fire fund.

Department leadership and staff said the county handled roughly 17,544 calls in 2025 and is trending toward about 19,658 this year, creating staffing and coverage gaps. Officials explained that 12 positions approved in recent years equate to fewer than a full additional crew per day once shifts are divided, and they described how long transport times to hospitals and coverage of outlying areas complicate response capacity.

Staff warned that property‑tax reform projected by state revenue authorities could reduce ad valorem revenue countywide and that the fire fund alone could lose approximately $1.75 million in recurring operating revenue under the measures discussed during the workshop. Commissioners asked about options to sustain the fire fund, including raising the current fire millage (MSTU), establishing a special assessment, or changing user fees. Staff outlined the assessment process — engaging a consultant to quantify costs, apportion assessments fairly, and conduct the required public‑hearing process — and noted statutory constraints about pushing municipal partners above millage caps.

Commissioners and the county’s public‑safety staff also discussed alternatives such as phasing staffing, adjusting schedules (42‑hour week encouragement), and seeking efficiencies through community paramedicine programs and improved data reporting to target where calls cluster. No formal funding decisions were made at the workshop; the board asked staff to return recommended max millage options and to include fire/EMS priority scenarios in the July tentative budget materials.