Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
At an Elgin City Council budget review session Wednesday, Fire Chief Robb Cagann said that the Elgin Fire Department needs a sixth ambulance and nine new firefighter/paramedics to handle the 40% increase in emergency calls they’ve seen in the last 12 years.
The staffing request is not just because of the big jump in calls but because the department is requesting mutual aid from other towns far too frequently when they get multiple simultaneous emergency calls. They had to request assistance from neighboring communities 628 times in 2023 but were only asked to provide aid 48 times in that same time period. There have been times when Elgin has anywhere from seven to nine simultaneous calls and had no choice but to seek help from other departments.
If approved, the fire department’s 2025 budget would increase to $38,188,670 million — $2.2 million or 6.1% more than this year.
Elgin added a sixth ambulance in 2005 but it was put out of service in 2012 because it wasn’t truly necessary at that moment. The number of emergency calls in 2012 was 10,700, or about 29 per day. Eleven years later, the department’s call volume was 15,000 — an average of 41 per day, 77% of which are for emergency medical services.
If the new hires are approved, the sixth ambulance would be placed at Fire Station 3, 2455 Royal Blvd.
Six firefighters/paramedics are needed to cover three daily ambulance shifts, but he is requesting nine to ensure the department has enough relief staff to reduce what they pay in overtime.
Overtime costs have been the topic of conversation for 20 years. Initially, the thinking was it would be less expensive to pay overtime than to pay salaries with benefits, but the only way to rein in overtime is to have enough employees to cover for days off, sick time or periods when someone needs extended time off.
A councilman asked whether the city could create partnerships and contract with private ambulance companies, but the chief said there are potential issues with that idea, mainly that city paramedics provide a higher level of care and that private ambulances may not be available during an emergency.
No decision was made on the request. The council is scheduled to vote on the budget in mid-December.
thanks Rob
