Emergency services seeks additional ambulances, radio upgrades and staffing as county grows
June 05, 2026 | East Consolidated Zoning Board, Johnson County, Kansas
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Paul Davis, chief of the Department of Emergency Services (DES), presented MedAct and emergency-communications priorities for FY2027, saying the department supports the county manager’s proposed budget while seeking targeted investments to meet growing call volumes.
DES asked for a fourth impact ambulance to support dynamic deployment during peak periods and said MedAct began expanded 12-hour impact-truck operations in April after prior board authorization. Davis highlighted the ambulance remount program as a cost-saving strategy, saying remounts have reduced per-ambulance purchase costs by about 40% and that 7 of the 10 units delivered in 2025–26 were remounts.
Davis also requested equipment-reserve funding for mobile and portable radios used on ambulances and by clinicians; noted the AED (automated external defibrillator) replacement plan is roughly two-thirds complete; and listed unfunded items ranked by the department, with the emergency-management specialist first, then the fourth impact ambulance and vehicle-reserve funding.
On revenue strategy, DES said it increased MedAct charges in January to twice the Medicare-allowable rate and proposes raising the 2027 rate to 2.5 times Medicare. Staff cautioned higher fees can increase uncollectible accounts, so revenue estimates remain conservative. Commissioners and the chief discussed possible grant opportunities (including FEMA assistance-to-firefighters and federal partners) to offset body-camera and ambulance costs.
Why this matters: Growing western and southern unincorporated areas and towns such as DeSoto and Edgerton are increasing ambulance demand. Funding and fee decisions will shape EMS capacity and staffing over coming budget cycles.
What’s next: DES will work with budget staff on conservative revenue assumptions, pursue grant opportunities, and provide any additional operations and cost-recovery detail the board requests during review of the FY2027 budget.
DES asked for a fourth impact ambulance to support dynamic deployment during peak periods and said MedAct began expanded 12-hour impact-truck operations in April after prior board authorization. Davis highlighted the ambulance remount program as a cost-saving strategy, saying remounts have reduced per-ambulance purchase costs by about 40% and that 7 of the 10 units delivered in 2025–26 were remounts.
Davis also requested equipment-reserve funding for mobile and portable radios used on ambulances and by clinicians; noted the AED (automated external defibrillator) replacement plan is roughly two-thirds complete; and listed unfunded items ranked by the department, with the emergency-management specialist first, then the fourth impact ambulance and vehicle-reserve funding.
On revenue strategy, DES said it increased MedAct charges in January to twice the Medicare-allowable rate and proposes raising the 2027 rate to 2.5 times Medicare. Staff cautioned higher fees can increase uncollectible accounts, so revenue estimates remain conservative. Commissioners and the chief discussed possible grant opportunities (including FEMA assistance-to-firefighters and federal partners) to offset body-camera and ambulance costs.
Why this matters: Growing western and southern unincorporated areas and towns such as DeSoto and Edgerton are increasing ambulance demand. Funding and fee decisions will shape EMS capacity and staffing over coming budget cycles.
What’s next: DES will work with budget staff on conservative revenue assumptions, pursue grant opportunities, and provide any additional operations and cost-recovery detail the board requests during review of the FY2027 budget.
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