When one town repeatedly relies on a neighboring ambulance service, questions can quickly arise over how much that help should cost — and who should bear the burden when the arrangement stops looking like typical mutual aid.
That's the issue now unfolding in western Massachusetts, where South County EMS is seeking to raise Hatfield's per-call ambulance fee from $350 to $1,178 under a proposed new contract, according to the Greenfield Recorder.
Here's what to know
Rather than serving as occasional backup, South County EMS maintains it has been dispatched to Hatfield often enough that the arrangement no longer fits the usual idea of mutual aid.
From July 1 through Dec. 31, 2025, South County EMS went on 97 calls in Hatfield, a total that South County EMS Chief Tim Drumgool said amounted to more than 10% of the service's overall run volume.
During a similar window — July 2025 through January 2026 — Hatfield Fire Department responded into South County EMS' coverage area only once.
Since July, South County EMS has answered 63 calls in Hatfield, while Hatfield has made just one response into South County EMS' area, according to the Recorder.
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Of those 63 calls, Drumgool said Hatfield firefighters were on scene for five, and Hatfield police officers responded to 12.
"So there's essentially no response at all from Hatfield," Drumgool explained. "It also puts more of a burden on my crew to now do everything on their own and not have support."
Since July, Drumgool said his paramedics have missed six calls within South County EMS' own service area because they were already tied up with calls in Hatfield.
More background
If the new contract is approved, South County EMS would shift from serving as a mutual aid backup to acting as Hatfield's primary ambulance provider.
Drumgool indicated that the proposed $1,178 charge is based on the service's cost per call, with an added 10% to cover administrative, fuel, and supply expenses.
Unlike South County EMS' member towns, Hatfield does not help fund the service, he added. Those municipalities effectively pay about $550 per call, but they also provide revenue that supports operations.
"We're supporting a town that isn't contributing to us," Drumgool observed.
Board of Oversight and Deerfield Selectboard member Trevor McDaniel framed the issue as part of a broader regional challenge.
"Any town needs to regionalize. Nobody can do it on their own anymore," he acknowledged.
What's being done?
The oversight board voted to give Hatfield 30 days' notice that the current agreement will end, though members left room to extend that timeline if negotiations need more time.
Drumgool is expected to meet with the Hatfield Selectboard to go over the proposed contract.
Hatfield Town Administrator Andrew Levine said the town has received notice of the new rate, and he expected the Selectboard to discuss it at its Sept. 29 meeting.
Levine asserted that town officials are working with Fire Chief Robert Flaherty on a staffing plan to improve local coverage and reduce Hatfield's dependence on mutual aid ambulances.
Without staffing improvements, Hatfield could exhaust its ambulance budget within a few months if it has to pay the higher South County EMS rate, per Levine.
McDaniel argued that revenue from a revised agreement could eventually help pave the way for Hatfield to join the regional service itself.
"It's not like we're just writing this money off and we're trying to take advantage of them," he began.
"We're trying to cover our costs and do all of this, but we also want to entice them to join us long-term. That benefits everybody."
Where can I learn more?
Questions about the cost burden of emergency response and service shortfalls aren't unique to western Massachusetts. These articles cover ambulance billing fights, rescue penalties, and broader public funding pressures.
• A cyclist struck by an ambulance was later hounded by a $1,800 bill after the crash.
• In Alberta, two hikers faced a massive fine after calling a helicopter for a lift.
• In New Jersey, water systems could see rates rise 12% as shutoffs increase.
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