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Select Board hears EMS report, approves training purchase and debates FAST squad use
Summary
Williamstown emergency‑services leaders reported an 18% drop in 911 calls year‑to‑date, said two new ambulances will enter service and confirmed the town bought a high‑fidelity simulation system for staff training at a reported cost of $165,000.
David, the town’s EMS representative, told the Select Board the service has seen fewer calls this year and that the department is adding vehicles and new training equipment. "It's about an 18% decrease over last year at the same time," he said, and later described the training purchase, saying, "so we spent a $165,000 to purchase this."
Board members asked for clarification on response times and the role of the FAST squad (a volunteer rapid‑response unit). Jackie, the town manager, and David discussed how FAST is dispatched, how often it was intended to be used (about 15–20 calls per year) and limits of the town budget for that program (Jackie said the FAST budget is $12,000). The board did not adopt a new FAST policy but asked staff to provide monthly run‑counts and to follow up on volunteer recruitment and utilization.
