La Crosse fire to staff ambulance 24/7 after council vote

The City Council unanimously approved moving the La Crosse Fire Department from part-time ambulance coverage to a 24/7 arrangement with Tri‑State Ambulance, and the city expects about $760,000 in annual revenue from the agreement.

The La Crosse Fire Department is expanding its partnership with Tri‑State Ambulance from a limited schedule to full-time, around-the-clock coverage. The City Council unanimously amended the 2021 Employee Lease Agreement to authorize a 24/7/365 arrangement. The city expects the agreement to generate about $760,000 a year, and the plan is to stage an ambulance at Fire Station 1 at 5th and Market. City leaders say the revenue is intended to cover overtime needed to backfill firefighter shifts when crews are on ambulance calls, and the change responds to tighter recruitment and retention in emergency services. Key details: - The council vote amended the 2021 "Employee Lease Agreement" to expand staffing to 24/7/365. - Previously, the department staffed an ambulance two days a week and alternating Saturdays. - The city projects roughly $760,000 in annual revenue under the new agreement. - The revenue is reported as intended to cover overtime costs for backfilling firefighter positions. - A dedicated ambulance will be staged at Fire Station 1 (5th and Market) to serve high-volume 911 calls and remain part of the regional EMS system. - The council-approved contract still requires a negotiated Memorandum of Understanding with the local fire union because the change affects working conditions. Summary: The change is presented as a fiscal adjustment to address rising overtime and staffing challenges while keeping the unit part of the regional emergency system. The next formal step is negotiating an MOU with the local fire union to finalize changes to firefighters' working conditions.