Grant to fund study that will evaluate joint paramedic service

A state-funded study to be conducted this summer will analyze fire and paramedic service response times, equipment and staffing in northern Ozaukee County — in part evaluating the success of the joint paramedic program between the villages and towns of Fredonia and Belgium funded by referendums last year.

The Village of Fredonia announced last month it was awarded $71,000 through a Department of Revenue Innovation grant to fund the study.

Village Administrator Christophe Jenkins said the study will look at all aspects of fire and emergency medical service in the area, including response times that he said have seen a “tremendous improvement” since the start of the paramedic program.

“Finding efficiencies and planning ahead are a win-win for the Village of Fredonia and our surrounding communities,” Village President Dan Gehrke wrote in a press release.

The villages and towns of Fredonia and Belgium were among a few communities in the county that heeded a 2021 Wisconsin Policy Forum study recommendation that fire and ambulance departments consolidate to confront stagnant and declining volunteer levels alongside increasing call volume.

While the Grafton and Saukville fire departments consolidated to become the Ozaukee Central Fire Department and the Mequon and Thiensville fire departments became the Southern Ozaukee Fire Department, the Fredonia, Belgium and Waubeka fire departments remained independent.

Instead, the four communities they represent decided to pool medical services and contract for a joint paramedic program through the Fredonia Fire Department.

The department now has two full-time and one part-time paramedics, Jenkins said, with plans to hire another part-timer this year.

Fredonia Fire Chief Brian Weyker wrote in a press release that the study will provide insights to the department as it continues to navigate issues affecting the whole county.

“It will provide valuable feedback on what is working well today while also looking at what our future operations might need to look like as volunteer numbers continue to decline,” he wrote.

The Village of Fredonia is planning to fund about $100,000 in improvements to its fire station to accommodate living quarters for the professional medical staff.

Jenkins said the station has the square footage needed for the renovation and only needs to partition bedrooms and relocate a storage closet.