Pulaski County may have to offer its EMS staff more money or reduce to a basic service. Those were the options EMS Director Brandon DeLorenzo gave the county council earlier this month. He said he hasn’t been able to fill two open full-time positions, as anyone who expresses interest finds a better-paying job elsewhere. If the county can’t have a paramedic on duty at all times, he said it may have to go to a basic service, which several council members opposed.
DeLorenzo suggested that if the council isn’t able to raise the full-time wages, members should at least look at part-time pay. Currently, part-time EMS staff is paid the county’s standard part-time rate of $14.42 an hour, regardless of their certification level. But council members also wanted to look at full-time benefits, noting that they could be cut back, if prospective staff members would rather see a higher hourly wage.
The amount of overtime also significantly boosts Pulaski County’s full-time EMS pay beyond the base rate. DeLorenzo said that moving away from the current shift pattern could save on overtime costs, but would create another four full-time vacancies and increase the cost of benefits.
In the end, Council Member Mike Tiede, who serves as the council’s liaison to the EMS department, agreed to meet with DeLorenzo to discuss options. Tiede said the ambulance service saves lives, and it needs to be fixed.
