The Tisbury EMS department has been dipping into its overtime pay budget to ensure full coverage for emergency response, ambulance coordinator Tracy Jones told the town selectmen this week. Ms. Jones said the department is having trouble attracting personnel to fill shifts, and that many shifts are being paid on an hourly basis rather than a stipend in order to meet coverage requirements. The town has two licensed ambulances, one of which must be staffed around the clock seven days a week by a paramedic and an EMT.

The ambulance is in at the Tisbury emergency services facility on West Spring street; fire trucks will be next.

“The fire [department’s] move will be imminent,” building committee chairman Joe Tierney told the Tisbury selectmen this week. He said repaving should be completed in about two weeks; after that, the fire department can move their vehicles into the $7.38 million building that was due to be completed a year ago. Mr. Tierney also said that despite all its problems, the ESF building is still on budget.