Ayer Fire Secures $845,000 State Grant to Boost Ambulance Staffing

AYER -- February 5, 2026, Ayer fire department secures $845,000 state grant to fund daytime ambulance staffing after hospital closure. Fire Chief Johnson and Deputy Chief Yanis Zekovitz presented to the Finance Committee on February 5, detailing a plan to use the 18-month Nashoba Valley hospital-impact grant for two additional EMS personnel on shift from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., $30,000 for paramedic school, scheduling software, and per diem onboarding costs for up to 15 new hires. The department ran 3,356 calls last year, up 338 from the prior year, with ambulance service revenue climbing to $864,000, and both transport ambulances now exceeding 100,000 miles. The Finance Committee also received a capital planning update showing the general fund capital request dropped to $646,000, down from $1.6 million the prior year, with three PFAS filtration projects totaling $520,000 funded entirely from a legal settlement.