Notes From Meeting Re: Shared Fire and Medical Emergency Services, August 22, 2024, Hybrid Meeting

Present: representatives from Stockbridge, West Stockbridge, and Richmond. This was only the second meeting. It looked at the costs associated with shared fire and emergency medical services (EMS) for the three towns.

A preferred option appeared to combine the emergency services of Stockbridge and West Stockbridge and moving toward full-time paid fire/EMS units backed by volunteers.

While this proposal provides for those two towns to be the primary areas for response, it would offer support services and training to Richmond. Attached is an initial presentation for a merger of Stockbridge and West Stockbridge and perhaps Richmond, click here: https://www.stockbridge-ma.gov/media/14176

Lee will continue to partner with Stockbridge in answering calls, but the location of their new fire station precludes the merger of the two services discussed earlier in the year.

The most important element in fire and EMS services is response time. The locations of the cooperating towns and their stations is the most important element in gauging response time.

Photo: Lionel Delevingne