Ambulance service reports staffing challenges and plans 8,000 sq ft barn costing $3.5'04M

Representatives of the Castle Rock Hospital District presented the commission with a quarterly ambulance update, describing continued staffing challenges, overtime pressures and a planned construction project for a new ambulance barn.

District staff said falls remain their most frequent call type and turnover among advanced-skilled staff has driven overtime higher. The district reported success hiring basic life-support personnel through recent EMT classes — "we've had, I think, as of yesterday, 10 people that have passed the national test" — which officials said should reduce overtime and help finances.

Separately, the district provided an update on a planned 8,000-square-foot ambulance barn on Gateway that includes three drive-through bays (three passes for two ambulances each) and 4,000 square feet of operations and sleeping space. The latest construction estimate given to the board was between $3.5 million and $4.0 million. "At this point, we've got it's about an 8,000 square foot building... the last estimate that we had was between 3.5 and $4,000,000," the district representative said.

An EMS finance presenter (Todd) also briefed the commission on subsidy history and projections: the contract includes a maximum subsidy of $1.8 million depending on losses, last year the county requested $1.6 million and submitted $1,477,000 in vouchers, and this year's request was presented at $1,550,000. Commission members thanked district staff and encouraged continued progress on hiring and training.