LEWES, Del. — The Lewes Fire Department has issued a formal warning to the Sussex County Council, stating that without a significant increase in funding, it will be forced to begin the process of dissolving its Emergency Medical Services in 2025.
In a letter dated March 6, department officials highlighted the growing demand for emergency services due to rapid development in the district. The call volume of fire and EMS combined has surged from 5,040 in 2018 to 7,589 in 2024, leading to a rise in staffing costs. Career personnel have increased from 17 to 25 members, and operating costs have more than doubled, from about $1.04 million to about $2.37 million.
Additionally, the department has faced annual EMS deficits of nearly $500,000 over the past two years. Officials warned that without additional funding in the next fiscal budget, the department would have no choice but to dissolve EMS services.
The Lewes Fire Department said in the letter, "Please consider this letter as formal notice that without a substantial increase in funding - specifically to address our deficit in the upcoming fiscal year budget beginning January 1, 2025, we will be forced to initiate the process of dissolving our EMS service."Â
The Lewes Fire Department emphasized that they did not come to this decision lightly.
"Our mission is to deliver these critical services, however, the department has been left with no other choice and has unanimously voted to initiate the process," said the department in the letter.
In an exclusive interview with CoastTV, Lewes Fire Chief William H. Buckaloo and President A. Wallace Evans say they need more money from Sussex County to keep up with ambulance demand.
"They've allowed a lot of growth but they haven't increased our funding, and in the last three years our EMS deficit is $1 million," said Buckaloo and Evans.
Buckaloo and Evans said they've been running so many calls and they can't keep up anymore.
"We don't know how Rehoboth or Milton or the surrounding areas are going to be able to pick up the extra runs that we're dropping out," said Buckaloo and Evans.
Sussex County did not provide CoastTV with any comment regarding the letter, as of Mar. 11.
Copied on the letter were the City of Lewes Mayor and Council, Sussex County EMS and neighboring fire departments.Â
Eileen Beveridge, who frequents Lewes and has used their medical services, told CoastTV she thinks the county needs to pony up.
"It would mean that people would die if they couldn't get an ambulance and they couldn't get to the hospital or the emergency room; people would die," said Beveridge. "I think it's a very serious problem."
As of Mar. 11, the city of Lewes told CoastTV they were not aware of the letter.
As more and more people call 911, the call for help grows louder from the Lewes Fire Department.