CAREER FIRE/EMS

TOWN OF OCEAN CITY

FISCAL YEAR 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET

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BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

REVENUE CHANGES:

Fee increases were implemented in FY 22, as the fee schedule had been in place since 2014. Fees consist of an Advanced Life Support or a Basic Life Support charge depending upon the level of service rendered and a charge for mileage. Basic Life Support fees were increased from $500 to $550 in FY 25. Advanced life support level one fees were increased from $600 to $700 and advanced life support level two fees were increased from $650 to $800 in FY 22. The mileage rate is $15 per mile. Worcester County reimburses the Town $225 per run for in-town and $900 per run for out-of- town calls. In FY 24, the Town received $2,332,479 from Worcester County, which included the following additional items: ambulance allocation, $250,000; payment for service to West Ocean City, $354,212; and a supplement for full EMS coverage during peak hours, $175,000. Medicaid reimbursement, a new revenue source, has been estimated at $275,000.

PERSONNEL CHANGES:

The FY 25 budget includes seventy-three full-time positions. Positions included are: a Fire Chief, a Deputy Chief, an Assistant Chief, five Battalion Chiefs, twelve Lieutenants, a Community Engagement Officer and fifty-two Firefighter/EMTs. Since FY 21, twenty-eight full time positions have been added to this division. Per the IAFF contract, one step will be granted on July 1, 2024, and a 3% COLA will be applied on January 1, 2025. Specialty pay for the Water Rescue/Dive Teams and Bomb Squad have been included per the contract. Part-time EMTs are paid at step 1 of the full-time pay table. Part-time funding has been increased
$82,996 to supplement the additional full-time positions. An allowance for the sick leave act has also been included at $30,350 for part-time employees. Regular overtime has been budgeted to increase $27,108, from $449,730 to $476,838. Premium overtime decreases to $514,485. Actual premium overtime for FY 23 was $875,475. Benefit costs increase for health insurance and worker’s compensation. Pension contributions increase $692,593, mostly due to the additional positions. No funding has been included for retiree health insurance.

CHANGES IN OPERATIONS:

Contracted Services includes $46,000 for required physicals for all Fire/EMS personnel. A peer support team clinician was added in FY 21, and has been funded at $5,000. Training and travel costs, also included here, are budgeted at $15,367. A gas meter exchange program has been included at $42,958. Building and equipment maintenance costs increase $8,846 for FY 25. Dive Team equipment maintenance is included at $5,224. Stryker power stretcher maintenance covers 5 units and is funded at $8,000. Maintenance on the ten power load systems is funded at $22,423. The maintenance contract on the cardiac monitors was eliminated for one year, as new monitors were funded in FY 24. Supplies and Materials include medical and training supplies and uniform costs. This category increases $63,785 from FY 24. Water Rescue Team supplies are included at a cost of $6,610. A replacement Stryker stretcher has been funded at $27,000, and a Lucas III Mechanical CPR system has been funded at $17,500. Six replacement AEDs have been funded at $21,000. Funding has been requested of the Paramedic Foundation for 50% of the cost of these three pieces of equipment. Also funded are the following: fire prevention supplies, $6,000, and an Isimulate Realiti 360 simulator at $9,600. Uniform costs are funded at $206,819 for FY 25. Fifteen sets of fire gear have been included at $54,000. Replacement fire gear has been funded at $25,649. Vehicle fuel and vehicle maintenance costs are projected to increase for FY 25. Intragovernmental allocations for vehicle lease, radio lease and IT Services increase. Eleven replacement Zoll X series cardiac monitors were funded in FY 24. No ambulances are eligible for replacement in FY 25.