WESTFIELD, Ind. 鈥� The Westfield City Council approved a new ordinance designed to address a growing challenge for fire and EMS crews: a high volume of non-emergency calls from residential care facilities.
Starting in October, residential care facilities in Westfield will be billed for non-emergent EMS calls 鈥� such as lift assists without injury and routine transports for medical appointments 鈥� under a tiered fee system. City officials say the change is intended to keep emergency crews available for true emergencies as demand rises.
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One-third of runs considered non-emergent
Data from the Westfield Fire Department shows that in the first half of 2025, nearly one out of every three EMS calls originated from residential care facilities. Of those, roughly a third were considered non-emergent, calls that could have been managed by care staff or private ambulance services.
Fire Chief Rob Gaylor said the impact on department resources is significant, particularly during busy periods.
鈥淣on-emergency calls can strain our resources, potentially delaying responses to life-threatening incidents,鈥� Gaylor said.
At peak times, WFD has responded to multiple incidents at once, requiring crews from two or more stations and occasionally mutual aid from outside agencies. City leaders say the volume of non-urgent calls can leave fewer firefighters and medics available for critical emergencies, contradicting the department鈥檚 mission to prioritize life-saving care.
How the ordinance will work
The new policy does not target individual patients, but rather the facilities placing the calls. Fees will escalate based on the frequency of non-emergent requests from each facility. The goal, according to WFD, is to encourage residential care providers to manage non-injury lift assists internally and arrange private transport for non-emergent medical needs.
In preparation for the policy, the department鈥檚 Mobile Integrated Health team plans to meet with local facilities to offer guidance on protocol changes and answer questions about compliance.
Larger trend for EMS
Westfield is among a growing number of municipalities looking for ways to manage non-emergent EMS demand 鈥� especially as staffing and resource pressures remain top of mind for public safety agencies nationwide. Similar ordinances have emerged in other states, but this is believed to be the first of its kind in Indiana.
The new fee structure will take effect in October, giving facilities time to adjust staffing, update procedures or contract with private ambulance services.
