Ambulance crew seeks funds hike for more hours

SHARON — As the Board of Selectmen crafts its 2025-26 spending plan, members are looking at one important request.

The Sharon Fire Department’s Ambulance squad is asking for an appropriation of $195,000, an increase of $65,000. Ambulance Captain Thalia MacMillan explained the bulk of that money would be put toward extending the days of paid personnel manning the calls from five to seven weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Volunteers would continue to oversee coverage nights and weekends.

“We’ve been paying half the cost of this service out of our savings since July,” MacMillan explained. “We quickly realized this was not sustainable.”

In another effort to seek revenue, members just approved billing for ambulance services.

The crew is made up of 13 active members and recruitment is always underway, “but we realize it is a huge commitment,” MacMillan said, pointing out the extensive certification process that volunteers must undergo, as well as the on-call duties.

The squad also spends time on fundraising. Its monthly pancake breakfast, which is held on the second Sunday, will resume this month.