The Leon County Commissioners approved a new policy that supports the recruitment and retention of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel. The estimated cost of the plan is $668,000.
Over the last decade, ambulance services have faced a national paramedic shortage. According to the American Ambulance Association, the turnover among paramedics and EMTs ranges from 20-30 percent annually, resulting in an unsustainable 100 percent turnover every four years.
The study showed that in 2020 nearly a third of the EMS personnel left their ambulance company after less than a year, largely due to low compensation and strenuous working conditions.
The pandemic exacerbated the shortages as training programs shut down and the National Registry of EMTs ceased testing. In addition, employment opportunities for paramedics have recently expanded into primary healthcare, public health, and hospital roles, further accelerating competition and labor market pressures.
According to the report presented to the Board during the Tuesday evening meeting, Leon County has previously taken steps to mitigate the impact of the paramedic shortage, such as an increase in pay rates and alternative scheduling options.
The approved plan seeks to implement an EMT to Paramedic Trainee Program to develop potential paramedic candidates. The program creates five full-time county positions for EMTs that will enroll in and complete a paramedic training and certification program.
The EMTs would be paid for their time in class, including required clinical training hours, and be eligible to work available hours on ambulances. Leon County would also pay all tuition and costs associated with the program. In exchange, participants agree to a three-year commitment to work full-time for Leon County as a Paramedic. The cost of the EMT to Paramedic Trainee Program is estimated to total $293,000 annually for five full-time participants.
Additionally, the new plan will also put into effect an “extra shift incentive stipend” and a “special day stipend.” The extra shift stipend is intended as a temporary measure to reduce employee burnout and allow for the opportunity to earn extra income. The projected fiscal impact is $364,000.
Lastly, the special day stipend covers employees who cover significant events that do not fall under county holidays, such as home football games. The projected fiscal impact for implementing this proposed stipend in FY 2022 is $84,000.
Leon County Approves Incentives for EMS Personnel added by Lynsey Kirk on
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When can I go get additional information about the program. Is there a phone number? If so, please share. I know of a great candidate for this program.
Leon county can’t keep staff because they have management problem, not a pay problem. They pay well, and have good benefits. They need to do a deep evaluation of supervision and management and I think they will find the cure to their staffing issues lies less with raising pay and more with people in charge.
Lisa, I’m sorry your view On LCEMS has been tainted by an incident that happened roughly a decade ago.
And Edward, what would you recommend LCEMS do to about the “China bio-weapon flu scamdemic” correct me if I’m wrong, but dealing with infectious diseases is more in the wheelhouse of the CDC. I could be wrong, but please enlighten me if there’s any services or treatments that you would recommend for treating the “scamdemic”
@lisa … you are are 100% FOS. You are making a broad statement categorizing an entire agency. I challenge you to sign up for some ride alongs with EMS, and make those accusations to any one of us. You have zero concept of how EMS works, the level of professionalism dedication that providers have. So unless you are going to lace up some boots, work a traumatic cardiac arrest, catastrophic stroke or heart attack, do CPR in full PPE with hysterical family over your shoulder – you can go sit behind your keyboard on campus and troll somewhere else.
DSP,
I agree with you…on this.
In Florida, the average EMT wage is ~ 22K / year.
https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/What-Is-the-Average-EMT-Salary-by-State
I have never done it, but on it’s face, it would seem to be a stressful job; *especially* in the days of COVID. It seems like the atrocious annual attrition rate is simply a function of the market speaking; the pay isn’t worth the stress. If hospitals want to reduce their attrition rate, pay people a wage that makes it worth their while.
In regard to the complaints over management styles, perhaps it is true, but this is a national problem. Either management for all agencies across the coutnry hiring EMTs are pillheads or incompetent or whatever, or, more realistically, the pay is insufficient for people to continue the job wherever they happen to be in the nation.
Sorry Snide, but I cant hang with you on that one. Todd’s way of thinking is the problem, not the solution. Hypocrisy and projection is their MO – as evidenced by his December 20, 2021 at 1:12 pm and December 20, 2021 at 2:35 pm comments.
Candidate of a conservative or common sense foundation will NEVER be successful bowing, cowering, or bending to the Progressive ideology just to get elected. If they’re true to their convictions once elected, the Progressive Mob and their Media PACs will attack, slander, misrepresent, and lie on them relentlessly… hence, they’ll likely be a one-termer.
@ All EMS… thank you for your service!
Is EMS happy with County Administrator Vince Long? Is he a hindrance or a positive force?
What can citizens and taxpayers do to help EMS to be successful and retain their workforce?
@Todd thank you for stepping up and sharing your enlighting and fresh views. You are always welcome here and I encourage more liberals to join in with their comments.
Todd represents the views of a majority of voters here in the Leon-Tallahassee area. Everyone should learn from Todd.
Any conservatives contemplating serving in local elected-appointed government positions need to take into account that you need to appeal to the majority to get elected. And if you want to get appointed or hired to a local governmental position be mindful that the odds are the persons selecting the appointees – new hires will be of Todd’s way of thinking.
Dont hate the liberal point of view and the liberal method of delivering their opinions…learn from them and be successful if you wish to serve in a local governmental position.
Thank you Todd.
Dig deeper… find out how much the County coffers “profit off pain”. No doubt they skim at least $7-million a-year of profit off the books of the EMS operation. Like the Utilities operation, the city’s political and administrative “leaders” raid these funds to the tune of tens-of-millions each year to keep from having to raise property taxes… then those very sane politicians claim that they deserve to be reelected because they haven’t “raised your taxes”. Faux fiscal conservatism at its best.
… corruption is as corruption does… sir ~ Gorest Fump
Administration and Management…..is why people are leaving.
Why doesn’t the Fire Department provide this service like almost every other city?
If 10 years taught me anything, it taught me about the old song “Smiling Faces”. Most of this in this article was already in place prior to the plandemic. It’s beautiful lip service to you, Joe Public! These people in office and their puppets in white shirts could care less about their employees… they only want to appear as if they do! Actions speak louder than words…. trust me! I saw your actions, over 10 years worth, LOUD AND CLEAR!
@ Someone,
Thank you for your service.
Let’s pump the hate brakes, Lisa. I’m in the know and have been for a long time. I’m not addicted to pills or opioids, am I supposed to be? As a matter of fact, no one with LCEMS has any substance abuse issues and all of our narcotics are accounted for every day. The isolated incident that you’re trying to refer to happened years ago and has not been a problem since. I don’t know where your anger and hostility is coming from but I’m sorry you feel that way.
The real problem with LCEMS is the rampant abuse of drugs.
There are significant problems. Too many opioid addicts and pill poppers in that agency.
Anyone in the know will confirm this.
Todd has issues with reality and anger. Hang in there sport, the other one will drop sooner or later.
Oh … And Snidely Dumbass ,where do u get all these numbers from that u love spew out all day everyday ???u need to learn a new word , woke is kinda old boomer…
Ur one of the main handful that is on every column ragging on and on about commi this and commi that…YOU are the one that needs to lighten up… Ed.
Leon county EMS already pays significantly higher wages than other agencies (including hospitals) and employees still choose to leave and go to these other agencies, despite the decreased wages. The county needs to take a deeper look into why the employees are actually leaving instead of just throwing money at it.
– signed someone who left LCEMS because of poor management NOT because of lack compensation.
Lighten up, Todd… before you pull a muscle or something. Reality can be a bummer sometimes huh.
Wow… All three of u have not a clue ,y’all just yell Commi , leftwing ideas are the same as Rightwing Nazis..You people need a brain…
Their so-called remedy seems to completely ignore the primary cause. Blaming the China Bio-Weapon Flu Scamdemic, and tossing in some “temporary” pay increases, won’t solve the problem.
Some priorities are totally out of balance here.
On the one hand we are getting a new WOKE Sherrif’s expenditure of $491,000.00 for the WOKE “HOST” program in which 2 deputies are going to cruise around town and connect individuals to affordable housing services. Which divides out to $245,500 per position.
Here we have $668,000.00 being tossed at EMTs who are having a 100% turnover rate and I am estimating we have 60 positions in a town this size. That divides out to $11,133.33 per position. Likely less because my 60 position estimate may be way low.
Too bad for the EMTs their life saving service is not considered a WOKE need like a couple of shmucks riding around town dispensing advice on affordable housing solutions. STOP ELECTING LEFTISTS ALREADY!!!!!!!!
They need to add a guarantee that they won’t be subjected to leftist medical tyranny or freedom of speech violations or denied any of their constitutional rights.
It’s a sign of the times that working as an EMT is a job and not a career. But I salute all of the EMTs and the good that they do. I hope a decent balance can be found that compensates them without putting too much strain on the taxpayers.