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Fire chief warns trustees of growing call volume and multimillion-dollar operating gap
Summary
The fire chief told trustees call volume has climbed sharply and presented revenue and collection figures showing EMS billing and suspended service contracts are insufficient to close a projected $400,000 operating shortfall without new levy revenue or additional cuts.
Fire Chief told the Brimfield Board of Trustees that the township’s recent growth has driven a steep increase in emergency responses and that current operating money is no longer sufficient.
The chief cited a 62–67% increase in emergency responses since 2010 and described several measures taken this year to reduce costs, including reducing overtime, not filling three positions and suspending maintenance/service contracts. He said EMS billing produced about $460,000 in collections on roughly $1.26 million billed in 2025 and that the system’s collection rate runs near 36 percent; he proposed several revenue and collection options but said none would replace the operating income expected from a successful levy.
The chief listed potential short‑term actions — switching callback structures, carrying over unspent line items (an estimated additional $60,000), pursuing attorney‑general collections (an estimated $30,000), and a limited move from soft to hard billing — and warned that some cuts (suspending maintenance contracts, reducing overtime) could create operational risks. He repeatedly cautioned that the department can run with two on station in some situations but considers three staff a safe minimum.
Trustees pressed for specific line‑item details and asked finance staff to confirm what has and has not been spent; the chief asked for board support to implement options and said further changes could include new fees and other revenue sources.
