By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(Oct. 22, 2026) The Berlin Fire Company reported financial and staffing challenges this week as officials warn ambulance replacement costs are becoming unsustainable and two paramedic positions have remained vacant for over a year.

During discussions with the Town Council, Berlin Fire Company representatives outlined the costs of maintaining EMS operations, including ambulance purchases, employee salaries, and overtime needed to guarantee that crews remain available around the clock.

Berlin Fire Company President David Fitzgerald said the department handles approximately 2,500 EMS calls annually and maintains four personnel working each day to provide two crews capable of responding to up to two or three simultaneous emergencies.

Fitzgerald also said EMS payroll totals approximately $2.1 million. While the company has a full staffing complement of 16 employees, it has been unable to fill two paramedic positions for the past year and a half.

One challenge is competition from other jurisdictions offering higher salaries, Fitzgerald noted. He said the Berlin department offers yearly pay at approximately $60,000, compared with starting salaries of $75,000 to $80,000 in areas like Howard County.

Fitzgerald asked if the town would consider raising Berlin’s EMS salaries to around $65,000 as increasing wages may be necessary to remain competitive with surrounding departments.

Ocean City, for instance, is preparing to begin collective bargaining, and fire company representatives expressed concern that potential raises there could make recruiting paramedics even more difficult.

“Ocean City is about to start their collective bargaining and if they give out 8% raises, 10% raises, our vacancies will go up,” Fitzgerald said.

Beyond staffing, ambulance replacement costs present another significant challenge.

Fitzgerald said that ambulances cost approximately $500,000 each and typically are replaced every 10 years. Representatives said keeping ambulances in service beyond that period can result in higher maintenance expenses.

The company received an ambulance in 2025, expects another in 2027, and has already ordered one for 2029 as purchases must be planned three years in advance.

The fire company president warned that the current replacement schedule is not financially sustainable, as the organization could still be paying off older ambulances when it needs to finance subsequent purchases.

Worcester County contributes $75,000 annually toward ambulance capital costs. However, representatives said the company needs an additional $75,000 per year to adequately prepare for future replacements.

“We need $150,000 a year being put in an account for ambulances,” Fitzgerald said. “The county has upped theirs. They give us $75,000 a year. We’re $75,000 short. That’s why we look at the town.”

Other major EMS capital expenses include cardiac monitors, which cost approximately $50,000 each, and stretchers and related equipment, which can total about $40,000.