By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(Feb. 6, 2020) Berlin Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services presented their quarterly updates to the Berlin mayor and Town Council meeting on Monday, Jan. 27.

The reports covered statistics and costs for Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 of last year as well as revenues and expenses from July to December.

Within that quarter, EMS responded to 240 calls, of which 171 were transports. The busiest days for EMS were Saturdays and Mondays, followed by Tuesdays and Fridays. The busiest timeframe for calls were 1-2 p.m. and most calls were made on average between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The response time was also recorded to be within the 60-second standard.

For the six-month period, EMS recorded lower donations at 43.79 percent with a continuing trend, though it expected these numbers for the report. The organization did receive 100 percent reimbursement, or $142,500 for calls made in 2018 from the county. It also receives half of its funds from the town per an agreement with Berlin.

As for expenses, higher costs were incurred as expired or outdated medical supplies and equipment were replaced. Payroll was up slightly as were fuel costs because of increased use. A new ambulance was ordered at the cost of $285,000, and a loan was required from the bank to fund this purchase. The older ambulance is expected to be sold, with President of Berlin Fire and EMS David Fitzgerald telling the council the last time an ambulance was sold, the company received $20,000.

For Berlin Fire and Rescue, there were 39 in-town calls during the quarter and 40 out-of-town calls. The fire company’s busiest days were Wednesday and Saturday followed by Thursday and Friday. The busiest times of the day reported were 1-2 p.m.

Most calls came in between 1-5 p.m. The response time was recorded to be within the six-minute standard at 5.3 minutes.

Berlin Fire’s revenues reported a 30 percent decrease in donations but a slight increase in fundraising as a result of rental services. The company recently received state aid, which will be used for fire gear replacement.

Some expenses were up, as the company needed to replace a boiler, unexpected equipment repairs and higher-than-usual fuel costs. Berlin Fire also replaced a 15-year-old rescue air bag system, which was anticipated in the budget.