Two Rivers to Bill Care Facilities for Non-Emergency Lift Assists

New ordinance aims to address rise in EMS calls for non-injury falls at nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 12:52am

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A vibrant, high-contrast silkscreen print of a hospital bed icon repeated in a grid, conceptually representing the overuse of emergency services for non-emergency situations.A new ordinance in Two Rivers seeks to curb the strain on emergency services by billing care facilities for non-injury lift assists.Green Bay Today

The city of Two Rivers, Wisconsin has adopted an ordinance that will allow the fire department to bill nursing homes and assisted living facilities $250 for non-emergency lift assists. The decision comes in response to a rise in fall-related EMS calls, with roughly 70 of those calls in 2025 involving no injury but still requiring a fire crew response.

Why it matters

City leaders say this new policy will put the responsibility on care facilities with trained staff, rather than relying on taxpayer-funded emergency services for non-emergency situations. The goal is to address the strain on the fire department's resources while ensuring facilities still call 911 when needed.

The details

Under the new ordinance, Two Rivers fire crews will be able to bill nursing homes and assisted living facilities $250 for non-emergency lift assists. Officials say this change will not affect emergency response, but is aimed at the roughly 70 out of over 330 fall-related calls in 2025 that involved no injury.

  • In 2025, the Two Rivers Fire Department responded to over 330 fall-related calls.
  • The new ordinance was adopted in 2026.

The players

Two Rivers Fire Department

The fire department in Two Rivers, Wisconsin that responds to emergency calls, including a rise in non-emergency lift assists.

David Murack

The Two Rivers Fire Chief who stated the new ordinance will put responsibility on care facilities with trained staff instead of taxpayers.

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What they’re saying

“It affects the citizens that are paying for skilled care at a facility, using the fire department to supplement that in a non-emergency matter.”

— David Murack, Two Rivers Fire Chief

What’s next

The new ordinance will go into effect immediately, allowing the Two Rivers Fire Department to begin billing care facilities for non-emergency lift assists.

The takeaway

This policy change in Two Rivers aims to address the strain on emergency services by encouraging care facilities to utilize their own trained staff for non-injury falls, while still ensuring 911 is called when true emergencies occur.