With recent increases in fuel prices, fire and ambulance departments that have to use a large amount of fuel to operate are starting to see the impacts on their budgets.
Baraboo Ambulance Service already set their fuel budget for 2022, so now it’s a matter of staying within it. Fire and ambulance departments do get a small tax break on gas, but fuel still takes up a chunk of their budget.
Baraboo Ambulance Emergency Management Service Chief Caleb Johnson said it costs about $130 to fill-up one Baraboo ambulance. He requested $75,000 for fuel costs in 2022 from Baraboo City Council.
”It’s not going to inhibit our ability to respond,” EMS Chief Johnson said. “However, it does have an impact overall because out of the entire budget we have an excess of expenditures and one line item and we’re going to have to adjust another.”