HADLEY — Even as some members of the Hadley Fire Department are training to become paramedics and others are preparing for a transition to a fully town-run Advanced Life Support ambulance service, those serving on the Select Board and Finance Committee are cautioning that this effort may not be realistic.

For Fire Chief Michael Spanknebel, who presented a report titled “Multi-track Plan with Continuation of Phased Approach to Services,” at a joint meeting last Wednesday, there is frustration about being given a directive to move forward with municipal ambulance plans, and enhanced staffing, that could be paused.

“If we decide that we’re not going to operate our ambulance service, you’re going to see a clearing house of our members,” Spanknebel said, observing that he already has firefighters who are working hard to become medics, including training with Hatfield’s Fire Department, and they may choose not to remain employed in Hadley if they won’t be trained for both fire and EMS calls.

In the most expensive scenario, the department would add seven firefighter/ paramedics, so that on Jan. 1, 2026 Hadley can move from the Basic Life Support ambulance that has served as backup to the private Action EMS since October 2023, to a full-fledged Advanced Life Support service. This would also mean the department could increase the two firefighters on duty around the clock, seven days a week, to two firefighters and two paramedics on duty.

But Select Board member David J. Fill II said there is no way this will work financially, and while he hopes the members of the department continue to pursue certification and planning for an eventual transition, it may be too costly.

“To be planning to get rid of Action at this point, I don’t think there’s any way we can possibly afford it,” Fill said.

The plan presented by Spanknebel only identifies the extra cost of salaries, more than $600,000, and not the capital costs and insurance related to the transition.

Select Board Chairwoman Molly Keegan said the transition plan has taken longer than anticipated and the cost structure is much higher, especially after an employees union formed. Keegan said the hopes were it would work out better.

“Some of what we thought was going to happen hasn’t happened,” Keegan said.

Spanknebel’s presentation showed three different plans: the status quo, adding three full-time firefighters, and adding seven full-time firefighters. The department currently has 11 full timers, working in four separate shifts There are also 17 paid on call firefighters. The department has 15 EMTs, four paramedics and nine first responders.

The financial figures showed that to maintain the status quo, which includes a $199,500 contract with Action, there are $1.38 million in salaries and overtime pay.

Adding three firefighters would boost this to $1.63 million, and adding seven would increase it to $2.07 million.

Ideally, the departments wants to have the full-time fire and EMS system operational by Jan. 1, 2026, with completion of training and certification for both Hadley A1 and A2 ambulances, outfitted with power cots, stair chairs and other modern equipment. At a minimum, there would be staffing available to run the ALS level ambulance for second calls. “We truly feel we really need to move forward with the ALS service,” Spanknebel said.

Part of the revenue projections for the ambulances is based on 821 transports, bringing in $778,591 in revenue. In fiscal year 2024, Action went to 1,437 calls and billed for $1.16 million. The cash collections were less than what was billed, though, at $738,321.

Spanknebel said that doesn’t include mutual aid calls to Amherst, possibly 150 per year. “I truly believe the volume would increase, as well,” Spanknebel said.

Keegan, though, said that $778,591 isn’t going to cover an additional seven firefighters, and while she’s not in favor of reducing fire coverage, she appreciates having the 24-hour medical coverage for $180,000 a year.

Finance Committee member Paul Benjamin said the department is already in a precarious situation, that the two firefighters on duty around the clock have both fire calls and backup ambulance duty.

“I can’t believe in a town with this many buildings, and people and calls there’s two firefighters on duty, that are also running an ambulance,” Benjamin said.

Spanknebel said he wants the boards to consider what is an acceptable level of risk for Hadley before presenting a budget at annual Town Meeting in May. “We are definitely a busy department for what we have for staffing,” Spanknebel said.

And he added there is anticipation from surrounding communities, including Northampton and Sunderland, that Hadley will have a town ambulance soon.

“We are all strained on the EMS side as you are aware, all are waiting for our EMS system to go into service so we can assist, just as they assist us,” Spanknebel said.

Deputy Fire Chief Evan Briant said he doesn’t want Hadley to experience what occurred in Palmer, where the Palmer Ambulance Service gave a week’s notice before terminating its contract, leaving the Palmer Fire Department to handle calls.

Keegan and Fill both suggested there should be a way to bond Action to avoid that happening.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.