Schertz EMS provides emergency medical services and ambulance transportation to the greater Randolph Region, according to the city of Schertz website.
In FY 2025-26 and 2026-27, rates will increase by 20%, followed by a 5% increase in FY 2027-28.
What's happening
Annual calls for service across all of EMS covered entities increased from 10,713 to 14,997, or 39.98%, between 2020 and 2024, according to a presentation by EMS Director Jason Mabbitt.
The EMS works on a per capita payment model for its agreements, with Universal City paying $17.52 per citizen in FY 2024-25, overall $356,550.
Mabbitt told council that several factors led to the EMS asking all of its partner cities to amend interlocal agreements. Schertz EMS is estimated to lose $796,917 in FY 2024-25 due to rising costs in EMS equipment, hiring additional employees and pay increases. However, that number could reach $1 million, Mabbitt said.
Mabbitt gave all partner entities the option of either a 20-20-5 percentage increase from FY 2026-28, or a 35% increase followed by two years of a 5% increase. The 35-5-5 model would get Schertz EMS “out of the red” in FY 2025-26, while the 20-20-5 model would make the EMS cash positive in FY 2026-27, he said.
Mabbitt said he was not happy modifying an agreement mid-term, but stressed wanting to maintain current service levels.
Keeping Schertz EMS services afloat is beneficial to Universal City and Northeast San Antonio as a whole, Fire Chief Todd Perna said.
“Collectively, we could probably break away from Schertz EMS, but we would have to have an ambulance, Live Oak would have to have an ambulance, Selma would have to have an ambulance and we all know that nobody wants to get into that business right now because of the initial costs,” Perna said.
In their own words
Council member Bear Goolsby said his family has previously needed to request the service, and council member Bernard Rubal said EMS response time is “very, very good” in his neighborhood.
Mayor Pro Tem Christina Fitzpatrick and council member William Shelby said they would have liked to have extra time to process the EMS needs, particularly after the employee pay raise in 2024.
“It was a significant increase you offered to your staff, and you knew before now that it was going to be impactful on us ... It would’ve been nice to get a heads up or more of a consultation,” Fitzpatrick said.
What’s next
Schertz EMS is planning to present the same financial options to all of its interlocal agreement partners, including Schertz, Cibolo, Selma, Live Oak, Marion and Santa Clara.
