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Public Health Commission and Boston EMS report hiring gains but say gaps persist
Summary
Boston Public Health Commission and Boston EMS officials told the council they reduced overall vacancy rates and recruited dozens of EMTs since April 2024, but councilors pressed for details about mandatory overtime and shift impacts.
Tanisha Peoples, the chief people officer for the Boston Public Health Commission, told the council committee that the commission has 48 city-funded positions and that its vacancy rate has declined from 16% to 11% as of February 2025 — “we have 16 vacancies for these roles representing 11% vacancy rate,” she said.
Peoples highlighted Boston EMS as the commission’s largest bureau and said training and pipeline programs have supported recruitment: the testimony reported Boston EMS had hired 82 EMTs since the April 2024 appearance before the council and that the fiscal-year budget included authorization for 12 additional EMT FTEs. Peoples also cited hire-in-a-day events and a paid cadet program that covers EMT certification as key strategies to ramp up staffing.
Councilor Ed Flynn asked whether EMTs and paramedics were working mandatory overtime. Peoples said she would consult her team and provide an accurate response; the council subsequently asked for records on mandatory overtime where they exist.
Why it matters: Staffing levels in prehospital emergency medical services directly affect response capacity and employee workload; the committee sought data to understand operational impacts and worker protections.
What’s next: The Public Health Commission and the city said they will provide follow-up information requested by councilors, including the number of open EMS positions, any mandatory overtime records and additional details about recruitment and retention programs.
