EMS staff present three options to expand coverage; county staffing could raise costs but increase coverage

County EMS staff presented a three-pathway plan to address growing call volumes and times when only one crew is available.

The presenter (Bill) said option 1 — keeping the current contracted model (336 hours/week) — would cost "a little over 2,300,000" and provide no increase in coverage. Option 2 would transition to county-employed EMS-only personnel (384 hours/week) at an estimated cost of about $2.7 million and would require roughly 18 personnel under a 40-hour overtime-sensitive schedule. Option 3 would hire fire/EMS county employees to run a 24/7 model delivering 504 hours/week and would cost about $2.87 million; Bill said that option would yield substantially more coverage and, if implemented, would be phased in so contract staff could be phased out.

Board members discussed station overnight‑stay feasibility, the need to upgrade some firehouses to house personnel, and radio interoperability with neighboring counties; EMS staff said five portable radios (one per station) would be provided to improve helicopter/air communications. Several members said the coverage gains in option 3 justify further consideration, while staff noted impacts to volunteer departments must be managed in coordination.