Committee accepts $1.6 million in state EMS funding for Fire Department

Chief Aaron Lipsky told the committee the Fire Department successfully lobbied at the state level to increase annual Funding Assistance Program (FAP) support from about $80,000 to $1.6 million. "We were successfully able to turn what had been about an $80,000 annual funding assistance amount into what you're looking at in front of you now, which is $1,600,000," Lipsky said, and emphasized the money is earmarked for emergency medical services.

Lipsky said the department has used FAP dollars in recent budget requests so that the purchase of paramedic units (each over $250,000'$300,000) did not fall to the tax levy. Committee members expressed appreciation for the department's advocacy; Alderman Moore moved adoption and the resolution carried by unanimous consent.

The committee did not specify a detailed spending timeline in the hearing; the chief said the funds are intended to cover EMS needs and cited the department's recent budget submissions reflecting the change.