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Essex Rescue reports staffing changes, spike in calls and $300,000 budget impact; new ambulance expected in November
Summary
Essex Rescue told the council mutual-aid calls rose and the agency shifted to a minimum of one ambulance 24/7 plus additional peak coverage, hired three full-time staff, expects an approximately $300,000 budget change and a new ambulance (or re-chassis) arriving mid-November.
Essex Rescue’s representative Colleen told the council that call volume has climbed and that mutual aid is an important part of the service area response: in 2024 mutual aid accounted for roughly 30% of calls in the region and Essex Rescue handled about 70% of those, she said. The service has committed to a new baseline staffing model — one ambulance 24/7 plus an additional ambulance during peak hours — and has hired three full‑time staff to improve reliability.
"So this is our current year's budget that I sent over ... it was gonna be about a $300,000 budget change," Colleen said, describing payroll and benefits as the main drivers and outlining revenue-offset strategies including improved billing and collections. Colleen told the council the organization expects to handle roughly 3,500 calls in 2025 (calendar-year estimate) and reported a capital fund balance of $1.7 million to support vehicle replacement.
The presentation included operational details: simultaneous calls have increased, peak demand is between roughly 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and Essex Rescue has used a mix of volunteers, per-diems and newer full-time hires to staff shifts. Colleen said the agency plans to re-chassis one unit (about $250,000) as a cost-saving alternative to buying a brand-new ambulance (typically $350,000–$400,000) and expects a replacement ambulance to arrive in mid-November.
Why it matters: The staffing and budget changes aim to keep ambulances available locally and reduce reliance on outside mutual-aid partners. The hire of full-time EMTs is intended to stabilize coverage and reduce the number of calls passed to mutual aid.
What happens next: Essex Rescue will continue to monitor call volumes and staffing needs; staff budget materials were included in the council packet and committee members asked follow-up questions about long-term trends and mutual-aid agreements.
