Medford is transitioning its municipal emergency medical services, signing a three-year contract with Cataldo Ambulance Service that concludes a 25-year partnership with Armstrong Ambulance. The shift, set to take effect on Jan. 19, stems from mounting municipal concerns regarding financial agreements, communication issues, and response performance, according to city officials. The decision has sparked intense debate over public safety logistics, union standards, and the complex business realities driving municipal emergency response contracts across Massachusetts.
The municipal change follows months of behind-the-scenes contract discussions. The city administration had been evaluating proposals from both Cataldo and Armstrong since last spring as the previous agreement approached its expiration date in November 2025. Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn ultimately notified Cataldo on Dec. 19 that the company had been awarded the contract. According to the mayor, exploring alternative providers was a necessary step to secure optimal financial and operational terms for local residents.
Behind the administrative transition lies a web of operational tensions and financial disagreements between Medford leadership and Armstrong Ambulance. During presentations at a Jan. 13 Committee of the Whole meeting, Police Chief Jack Buckley, Fire Chief Todd Evans, and Mayor’s Office Chief of Staff Nina Nazarian outlined several core friction points. City officials highlighted instances of slow Armstrong response times and expressed persistent frustration over communication breakdowns. Furthermore, municipal leaders cited unresolved financial obligations, pointing to Armstrong’s reluctance to pay $75,000 in annual reimbursements owed to the city.
Additional friction arose over contractual stipulations regarding emergency personnel. The administration raised concerns that Armstrong failed to agree to free transportation terms for injured first responders and EMT training for firefighters. Mayor Lungo-Koehn additionally pointed out that because mutual aid mandates emergency crews to support adjacent towns, Armstrong units were frequently pulled away from Medford, leaving local coverage thinly manned.
Union Pushback and Operational Preparations
The decision to swap providers has drawn sharp pushback from labor representatives and employees who serviced the municipality. Armstrong Ambulance and Teamsters Local 25, the union representing the company’s workforce, released formal statements questioning the administration’s transparency and the rationale behind the vendor replacement. Robert Hatzikonstantis, an Armstrong paramedic and Teamsters Local 25 member, noted that the shift caught both field staff and management off guard.
“It did seem pretty abrupt to the employees, and I think … management [was] a little blindsided [as well],” Hatzikonstantis said, noting that union EMTs undergo rigorous instruction, benefit from mentorship by seasoned paramedics, and must meet stricter performance guidelines than some alternative providers might mandate.
Despite the labor concerns, preparations for the upcoming transition are moving forward. CEO of Cataldo Ambulance Service Dennis Cataldo stated that the company has acquired five new ambulances that will be used in Medford. To ease the handover, Cataldo has been sourcing Armstrong employees to help train Cataldo emergency medical technicians on the communication protocols and logistics required to cover a city of Medford’s size. Cataldo currently provides service in 14 or 15 communities, many of them are very significant, similar in size or in some cases larger than Medford.
To bolster local safety infrastructure as part of the new agreement, Cataldo is supplying approximately 21 new automated external defibrillators to be used by the Fire Department alongside six AEDs placed in Medford schools. The incoming vendor is also expanding its behavioral health unit—a specialized response division focused on assisting individuals dealing with behavioral health emergencies or substance use crises—from Lynn into Medford.
Financial Disagreements and Business Realities
The municipal shake-up highlights the commercial landscape governing ambulance services, where private providers operate under municipal agreements that balance public health demands against corporate bottom lines. While city hall frames the switch as an exercise in fiscal accountability, union representatives contend that established institutional knowledge and rigorous internal standards built over years are difficult to replace on short notice.
Mayor Lungo-Koehn maintained that the decision was strictly business-oriented. “This was completely a business decision that related to fiscal responsibility,” the mayor said, emphasizing the need to prioritize trust, open communication, and resident value.
As the Jan. 19 transfer date approaches, city leaders and public safety officials will closely monitor response metrics and deployment efficiency to ensure seamless coverage continuity for residents. Both city hall and incoming operators have expressed a desire to maintain professional relationships moving forward, though the long-term impacts of ending the partnership remain to be seen.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional legal, financial, or medical advice.
