Buried deep in the Oak Bluffs annual town report is a line item called the ambulance reserve fund. For much of the past decade, the fund has held hundreds of thousands of dollars for the town, allowing it to purchase and equip fire and EMS thanks to substantial revenue, most of it generated by crucial off-Island ambulance runs.
Oak Bluffs ambulance finances have come under scrutiny in recent weeks, as news came to light that the FBI has opened an investigation into town ambulance billing practices. Some members of the combined fire and EMS department were subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury this past Monday. Town leaders have said they are conducting their own internal audit of the department’s finances.