LETTER: Tripling size of  Port EMS unit is asking too much of voters

To Ozaukee Press:

In 2022, we had an EMS staffing problem. Shifts were not covered, and we had unacceptably long wait times for responses. That problem was fixed in 2023, and response times went back down to just a few minutes—as good as we can reasonably expect.

Why does Port Washington Fire Department now want triple the size of its EMS department?

Yes, we staffed 2023 with one-time funds (not responsible budgeting), and if we want to continue staffing at that level, we’ll need continuing money. That’s reasonable. And maybe adding one or two more staff members for redundancy might be reasonable (although that’s supposed to be the whole point of shared aid agreements).

But tripling the size of the department (from three to nine full-timers) is wholly unnecessary. Port officials are asking far too much, and we voters should reject this referendum.

Tom Kamenick

Port Washington