2025 By the Numbers

2025 By the Numbers

We stopped by on Christmas Day to wish your hardworking EMTs and paramedics a merry Christmas.

2025 was a busy year for Southern Berkshire Ambulance Squad. Here are some highlights:

• Approximately 3,000 calls for service across our coverage area
• Coverage for 9 communities in Southern Berkshire County
• 32 EMS professionals on staff, including paramedics, advanced EMTs, and EMTs
• More than 60% of calls billed to Medicare or Medicaid
• $291,816 raised in community donations — our best fundraising year ever

Thank you to everyone who made 2025 such a strong year for this organization.

The Payer Mix Challenge

Wishing everyone in our community a happy, healthy, and safe new year.

One of the most important trends shaping our finances is payer mix. As our service area ages, an increasing share of our calls are billed to Medicare and Medicaid, which reimburse below cost. This structural pressure grows each year and cannot be solved by operational efficiency alone — it requires sustained community support and strong town assessment revenue.

We are committed to transparency with our town partners and our donors about this challenge. Your contributions directly close the gap.

New Ambulances on the Way

Our two new Braun Type 1 4x4 ambulances are on order, with expected delivery in November 2026 and February 2027. These vehicles replace our aging primary units and will serve South County for the next 10-12 years. We are grateful to the donors and community supporters who are making this possible.

Winter Operations

January is one of our most demanding months operationally. Winter weather, icy roads, and increased health events among older residents keep our crews busy. We maintain 24/7 coverage regardless of conditions — our crews have four-wheel-drive ambulances and the training to navigate South County’s roads in any weather.

Looking Ahead to 2026

In this 2016 photo, it was Officer Adam. Ten short years later, he is Interim Police Chief — and still a valued SBAS board member.

2026 will be an important year for SBAS. We’ll be working through budget season with our six assessment towns, receiving our new ambulances, and continuing to build the donor relationships that make our work possible. We look forward to keeping you informed every step of the way through this newsletter.

New Website Launch

We are pleased to announce that our new website, southernberkshireambulance.com, is nearly ready to launch. It includes a complete archive of all nine newsletter issues, donor recognition pages for 2024, 2025, and 2026, and comprehensive information about our services. Stay tuned for the official announcement.