Warwick Emergency Services Commission reports strong 2024 response times; borough renews fire and ambulance contracts
February 01, 2025 | Lititz Borough, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
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Mike Smith, deputy fire commissioner with the Warwick Emergency Services Commission (WESC), told Lititz Borough Council on Monday that Warwick EMS handled 4,117 calls in 2024 and met its contractual response target "97% of the time." He said 1,145 calls, almost 28% of the EMS total, were in Lititz Borough.
"For EMS, there is a key performance indicator in that contract that we track annually: they have to be on scene within 9 minutes from the time of dispatch for emergency calls, 90% of the time," Smith said. He added Warwick EMS exceeded that standard in 2024.
Smith also summarized the Lititz Fire Companys year: 445 calls, with 203 in the borough, a 10% increase in call volume and the addition of three new suppression-level firefighters. He said the volunteer company met its contractual standard for qualified crew response "100% of the time," where a qualified crew is defined in the service agreement.
Council later approved two annual agreements that formalize those performance expectations. Council moved and approved agreement 569, the 2025 Fire Services contract between Lititz Borough and the Lititz Fire Company, effective Jan. 1, 2025. The motion passed unanimously.
Council then approved agreement 570, the 2025 Ambulance Services contract with Warwick Community Ambulance Association, also effective Jan. 1, 2025. The agreement notes the ambulance association "meets Pennsylvania Department of Health requirements for EMS agencies" and will provide annual financial statements to the borough.
Smith highlighted operational additions at Warwick EMS in 2024: a fifth transport ambulance, a third paramedic truck, a bike team for special events and new, lighter cardiac monitors. He credited the WESC staffing model with enabling equipment assessments and planned apparatus replacement funding that avoided a sudden large capital request from the borough.
Council members thanked fire and emergency personnel for volunteer service and the borough for restoring the apparatus fund contribution schedule to a planned funding model.
Ending: Council recorded the agreements and asked staff to continue annual reviews of service metrics and the apparatus replacement plan.
"For EMS, there is a key performance indicator in that contract that we track annually: they have to be on scene within 9 minutes from the time of dispatch for emergency calls, 90% of the time," Smith said. He added Warwick EMS exceeded that standard in 2024.
Smith also summarized the Lititz Fire Companys year: 445 calls, with 203 in the borough, a 10% increase in call volume and the addition of three new suppression-level firefighters. He said the volunteer company met its contractual standard for qualified crew response "100% of the time," where a qualified crew is defined in the service agreement.
Council later approved two annual agreements that formalize those performance expectations. Council moved and approved agreement 569, the 2025 Fire Services contract between Lititz Borough and the Lititz Fire Company, effective Jan. 1, 2025. The motion passed unanimously.
Council then approved agreement 570, the 2025 Ambulance Services contract with Warwick Community Ambulance Association, also effective Jan. 1, 2025. The agreement notes the ambulance association "meets Pennsylvania Department of Health requirements for EMS agencies" and will provide annual financial statements to the borough.
Smith highlighted operational additions at Warwick EMS in 2024: a fifth transport ambulance, a third paramedic truck, a bike team for special events and new, lighter cardiac monitors. He credited the WESC staffing model with enabling equipment assessments and planned apparatus replacement funding that avoided a sudden large capital request from the borough.
Council members thanked fire and emergency personnel for volunteer service and the borough for restoring the apparatus fund contribution schedule to a planned funding model.
Ending: Council recorded the agreements and asked staff to continue annual reviews of service metrics and the apparatus replacement plan.
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