Paramedic says St. Louis EMS strained after tornado; urges 12 new EMT/paramedic positions

Tyler Patterson, a city paramedic and Fourth Ward resident, told the Budget and Public Employees Committee on May 31 that St. Louis’s EMS system is under sustained strain and that adding six EMTs and six paramedics to the roster would allow the city to field one to two additional ambulances per shift.

Patterson described recent call volumes to illustrate the pressure on crews. He said he arrived to work the night of the tornado to find 71 pending EMS calls while six city ambulances were on duty and that on a typical busy night the city received about 100 calls split among six city ambulances and three private ambulances. “There really isn't any amount of ambulances and crews that can run 71 calls,” he said, describing a catastrophic surge during the storm.

Patterson also said the city is losing significant billing revenue to for‑profit private ambulance providers. He reviewed the FY26 annual operating plan and said actual ambulance revenue for FY24 was a little over $5 million compared with a typical range of $9–$12 million, a difference he attributed to private companies handling calls and capturing revenue.

Patterson argued that adding 12 staffed positions would not be transformative in scale but would materially reduce per‑crew load, improve retention and increase the city’s capacity to bill for services. "By adding 6 more EMTs and 6 more paramedics, we would be able to add 1 to 2 more ambulances per shift," he told the committee, adding that reduced workload on individual members would improve retention and patient care.

Ending: The testimony did not result in an immediate personnel vote; committee members acknowledged the testimony and will consider staffing and revenue tradeoffs during upcoming budget amendment work.