EMS leaders warn of recruitment gaps and ask to raise part‑time pay; discuss frozen grant for cot/lift purchase

Madison County EMS representatives told supervisors that recruitment and equipment are undermining service reliability and asked for budget adjustments to address retention and vehicle reliability.

EMS staff reported some high vehicle repair costs, the need to replace portable suction units and monitors, and rising remount/remanufacture prices for ambulance chassis. The presenter proposed increasing part‑time wages to help fill overnight and weekend shifts: suggested rates discussed were $20 an hour for paramedics, $18 for advanced EMTs, and $16 for EMTs. The presenter estimated a budget increase in the range of roughly $35,000 to cover the proposed part‑time pay increases (exact FICA and benefits amounts to be computed by county staff).

On equipment, EMS staff described a cot and powered lift system purchase originally funded by a grant; that grant remains administratively frozen pending federal review, and staff said they had asked the vendor to hold or return the ordered equipment until the federal status is resolved. "Don't order that cot — return that cot," the presenter said, noting uncertainty about whether the grant funds will be undone.

Supervisors asked EMS to provide firm cost estimates (including payroll taxes and FICA), a comparison of market pay rates for nearby employers, and an inventory with mileage and repair history to justify vehicle replacement requests. No final decisions were made at the workshop; supervisors asked EMS to return with numbers so the board can consider wage adjustments and equipment contingencies in the formal budget process.