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Select Board hears warnings about ambulance coverage, mutual aid delays and lost revenue
Summary
Fire/EMS leaders reported multiple calls requiring a second ambulance this month and mutual-aid responses that can take 30–45 minutes; board members highlighted lost revenue (about $2,000 per missed transport) and asked for year-over-year comparisons and more precise reporting.
The Fire Department reported increased strain on ambulance coverage at the June 1 meeting, prompting concern from Select Board members about life-safety risks and revenue impacts.
Chief Ben Whalen said the fire department had 73 calls in May and reported 12 incidents this month that needed a second ambulance; about half of those required mutual aid, which can take 30 to 45 minutes to arrive. Justin Hyjek quantified the financial impact, saying "each lost call costs us about $2,000 in expenses and lost revenue," noting that 12 such calls would total roughly $24,000. Chief Whalen said the department is growing its paid-on-call staffing and that Deputy Chief Clint Davendonis covers transfer operations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Board members asked for more comparative data, including start and end dates for the report period and year-over-year call counts. Noah Schmidt and Justin Hyjek requested that monthly reports include last year’s numbers and service start/end dates to show trends. Chief Whalen agreed to include date ranges and follow-up metrics in future reports.
The board did not take an immediate policy vote on staffing or service expansion at the June 1 meeting but discussed the operational and financial pressure represented by mutual-aid reliance and delayed response times.
