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Emergency management warns of rising EMS demand and mandates; staff urged to plan for transition from contracted crews
Summary
Amelia County emergency management reported rising call volumes, newly mandated pharmaceutical and reporting requirements, and a plan to transition from contracted EMS providers to county employees; staff told supervisors revenue recovery was $563,000 year-to-date and volunteer contributions remain small.
County emergency management staff told the Board of Supervisors that call volume for fire and EMS has climbed sharply and that operational and regulatory changes will increase local costs and staffing needs. "Over the past calendar year, call volume has basically increased about 10%. If you look back as far as 2018 ... the increase has been almost 50%," said Mr. Emerson, the department presenter. He added that career or contract staff answered just over 91% of calls last year while volunteers answered 8.9%.
Emerson reported $563,000 in revenue recovery through the end of December and said the department expects state-mandated changes this year, including a new EMS pharmaceutical licensing program and a requirement tied to electronic patient-care reporting whose state funding will end on July 1. "The state has picked up the bill for what that costs in the past... for whatever reason, they're not doing it anymore," Emerson said, adding that the county will have to absorb that expense. He asked supervisors to engage on staffing models as the department prepares to transition some contract staff to county employment to reduce midyear vendor price‑increase risk and increase local control. The presentation identified ambulance apparatus storage, long lead times for vehicle procurement (24–36 months), and difficulty recruiting qualified personnel as ongoing challenges.
