Fire chief outlines EMS grants, station repairs and nonreverting EMS fund

The fire chief presented highlights from the fire department's budget book and answered council questions about EMS funding, grant applications and facility repairs.

The chief said the department will pursue an emergency medical services grant to expand mobile integrated health (MIH) work and ultrasound capability and that the department writes some grants directly because of internal experience with the grant program. The chief also said some supply and logistics increases in the budget reflect gear replacement (for example, replacement sets of turnout gear) and other equipment priorities.

Councilors asked whether EMS transport revenue is collected and where it is recorded. The chief said ambulance and EMS charges are recorded in a nonreverting EMS fund and that the city will consider a rate study to assess revenue potential and collection rates, but cautioned that federal and Medicaid reimbursement limits can cap net revenue for transports.

Councilors also asked about Station 39 and the training tower. The chief said the station requires mold mitigation work; staff said mold remediation and related repairs are being quoted now and some funding for station repairs is included in this year's budget. The training tower still requires renovation but is deferred until budget resources allow.

The chief encouraged councilors to contact the department with follow-up questions and said the budget book includes calls-to-action and line-item cross references for the increases requested.