Saint Francis Hospital will reportedly be discontinuing its emergency medical services (EMS) operations following a mutual agreement between Trinity Health and the City of Wilmington according to an email sent to employees on Friday. The decision, outlined in the email, comes as ongoing staffing shortages have made it increasingly difficult for the service to meet its contractual obligations with the city according to the email.
The announcement follows reports last week that nearly half of its emergency medical technicians (EMTs) recently walked off the job or were fired. According to multiple sources familiar with the situation, the remaining EMS staff will be offered severance packages and asked to continue working until June to ensure a smooth transition while alternative emergency services are arranged.
The email, which acknowledged the critical role Saint Francis EMS personnel have played in serving the community, was released amid mounting uncertainties among employees, sources tell FSU. Many expected to attend an all-hands meeting scheduled for today, but sources say the meeting was canceled before employees were notified of the decision via email.
The reported decision to discontinue EMS services comes less than a year after Mayor Mike Purzycki addressed the financial challenges associated with ambulance service in Wilmington.
“For decades, emergency ambulance service in Wilmington had been provided by third-party entities at no cost to the City,” Purzycki noted in his 2023 State of the City address. “However, the latest provider, Trinity Health (associated with St. Francis Hospital), advised the City in 2023 that they could no longer afford to provide the service without a very substantial subsidy.”
To maintain emergency medical response capabilities, the City of Wilmington had negotiated a $3.8 million contract extension with Trinity Health, ensuring ambulance transport through December 31, 2025. The agreement, which costs the city $1.9 million for FY 2025, was designed to buy time for planning alternative solutions, including the potential transition of ambulance transport services to the Wilmington Fire Department.
With Saint Francis EMS operations set to wind down in the coming months, city officials will need to act to establish a long-term solution. The City had initially hoped that Trinity’s decision to outsource ambulance billing and collections would reduce the need for financial subsidies, but with the latest developments, a shift toward a city-run ambulance service may now be more likely.
Officials from the City of Wilmington and Trinity Health have yet to release public statements regarding the decision. First State Update will continue to follow this developing story.