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Fire chief proposes six new firefighter/paramedics funded by higher ambulance billing and SAFER grant application
Summary
Fire Chief Pete Sutter proposed adding six firefighter/paramedics (two per shift) at an estimated annual cost of $776,529, funded by aligning ambulance billing with GEMT reimbursement (proposed base rate $3,653, mileage $20) and by pursuing a FEMA SAFER grant; nonbinding straw votes were 5–0 in favor of higher billing and grant application.
Fire Chief Pete Sutter told the Committee the Rolling Meadows Fire Department’s 45-person staffing model has become strained by rising call volumes and high apparatus utilization, reducing resiliency for simultaneous incidents and increasing fatigue and injury risk.
Chief Sutter presented a proposal to add six Firefighter/Paramedics (two per shift) to improve baseline staffing. He provided an all-in per-firefighter cost of $129,421 (starting salary $83,911; benefits $31,002; pension contribution 13% = $10,908; equipment/uniforms $3,600) and said the six-position addition would cost about $776,529 annually and approximately $10,005,744 over 10 years assuming 3% annual increases.
To fund the increase without raising property taxes, Chief Sutter recommended aligning local ambulance billing with the department’s GEMT-calculated allowable reimbursement. Staff proposed raising the base transport rate to $3,653 with mileage at $20 per mile. Using current transport volume and GEMT modeling, staff estimated 2027 EMS billing revenue of about $2,097,363 and a projected 10-year revenue increase of roughly $12.33 million, producing a net 10-year surplus relative to the staffing cost projections.
Chief Sutter also said the department will apply for FEMA SAFER grant funding to offset near-term personnel costs during initial hiring. After discussion Mayor Sanoica took nonbinding straw votes: 5–0 in favor of increasing ambulance billing and 5–0 in favor of allowing staff to apply for the SAFER grant.
No formal ordinance or rate change was enacted at the Committee meeting; staff reported next steps would include follow-up steps to implement a billing rate change and to submit a SAFER grant application.
