Appleton Fire Chief Hansen told the Safety and Licensing Committee on Oct. 22 that the department received $235,000 from the state Funding Assistance Program (FAP) to support emergency medical services purchases and established a new special‑revenue EMS fund in the 2026 budget.

Hansen said the 2024–25 state budget greatly increased FAP support, expanding eligibility beyond transport ambulance services to include first‑responder agencies such as municipal fire departments. “With the new funding and the new… formula that they have applied, we received $235,000 of money,” Hansen said, adding that the city is conservatively budgeting about $150,000 for that revenue in 2026 because participation statewide was lower than expected and future allocations may decline.

The chief said federal and state parameters prohibit using these funds for wages or fringe benefits; eligible uses include equipment, supplies and training. Hansen said initial and planned uses include cardiac‑monitor purchases and maintenance, controlled‑substance tracking (“vector controls”), narcotics safes for apparatus, and a protocol app that keeps patient‑care guidelines current on phones and tablets.

“We put $100,000 of that towards our cardiac monitors that we purchased last year,” Hansen said, noting the grant helped reduce borrowing for those purchases. He listed recurring costs the fund will cover, including $8,000 per year for cardiac‑monitor maintenance and roughly $2,200 per year for the controlled‑substance platform licensing.

Committee members asked about other capital and operating items in departmental budgets. Captain Lewis and Director Tu noted expected increases to the crossing‑guard contract and special‑event revenue adjustments in the clerk’s office. The police department flagged portable‑radio replacement in its CIP and the crossing‑guard program cost increases under contract with All Cities Management Services and a shared arrangement with the school district.

No budget votes were taken at the Oct. 22 committee meeting; members said they will continue review ahead of Budget Saturday and will submit written questions to staff as needed.