Elm Grove trustees consider combining Fire and EMS amid staffing shortfalls; referendum flagged as likely funding path

Village Manager Harrigan briefed the Committee of the Whole on two core challenges: nationwide shortages of firefighters and paramedic-level personnel, and structural inefficiencies from operating separate Fire and EMS departments. Harrigan said a working group—including Fire Chief Naylor, Service Director Ben Roy and Trustee Schindler—deployed an organizational health assessment survey to gauge morale, leadership and safety perceptions to guide any alignment steps.

Trustee Schindler argued the decades-old, separate paid‑on‑call model "is no longer viable," asserting that municipalities have historically kept wages low and the workforce now requires competitive compensation and combined fire‑EMS models to retain talent. Schindler warned that Elm Grove may need a referendum to fund the staffing changes and emphasized fully defining the scope before asking voters to approve new funding. Fire Chief Naylor corroborated staffing concerns, saying he lost five younger members in his first three years and supporting a consultant‑guided, gradual alignment allowing cross‑training.

Trustees directed staff to continue regular updates to the Committee of the Whole and noted a Chief Naylor proposal for a new tender unit will appear before the Finance Committee. The committee did not vote on organizational changes; discussion focused on analysis, survey results and next steps for community engagement and capital planning.