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EMS chief outlines staffing shortfalls, rising call volume and grant opportunities
Summary
Jason Dyes presented on EMS operations: Paris EMS runs four 24-hour ambulances plus a peak-hour unit, reported rising call volume (9,655 in 2024), staffing vacancies, recruitment and retention challenges, aging facilities, peer-support program uptake, and pursuit of a House Bill 3000 grant for ambulance replacement.
Paris — Jason Dyes, speaking for the EMS department, briefed the City Council Monday on operations, staffing challenges, equipment needs and plans to pursue state grant funding.
Dyes described the department as a municipal third-service EMS system that operates four ambulances 24 hours a day for 9-1-1 response plus an additional peak-hours ambulance. He said the department covers roughly 934 square miles with a Lamar County contract and serves a population the department cites at over 50,000 residents. Dyes reported the department logged 9,655 calls in 2024, an average of about 26 calls per day, and said call volume has grown roughly 17.5% over a 10-year span from 2014 to 2024.
Dyes said the department staffs 27 full-time paramedic positions (two of which were vacant at the time of the presentation), plus roughly 20–25 PRN (as-needed) EMTs and paramedics. He described retention and recruitment problems: several PRN staff who completed paramedic training have turned down full-time jobs, and the department lost four full-time employees since the start of the year. Dyes linked some departures to compensation and noted competing opportunities in hospitals, private industry and other jurisdictions.
Operational details Dyes provided included vehicle life cycles (about eight years; traded ambulances commonly have 250,000–300,000 miles), the department's supply of eight ambulances and one support vehicle, and the daily checklist of more than 300 items per vehicle. He said the department replaces one ambulance per year historically but may need to purchase additional units to keep mileage under control.
Dyes said the EMS department is exploring a grant created by House Bill 3000 administered through the Texas Comptroller's Office that could award up to $350,000 to a community of Paris's size to purchase an ambulance; the city would coordinate the application with Lamar County.
Dyes also described nontechnical supports: a peer-support program staffed by trained paramedics that has made about 20 contacts this year, expansion of ultrasound capability for prehospital cardiac assessment, plans to contract with Best EMS for medical direction (Doctor Bertrand named as medical director), and work toward implementing a prehospital blood-products program aligned with a statewide initiative.
Dyes said aging facilities are a concern (oldest station built in 1965) and that staffing minimums leave little flexibility for vacancies, resulting in overtime and PRN coverage. Council members praised EMS staff for professionalism and asked follow-up questions about peer support and staffing; Dyes and staff said they are coordinating with the city's pay-study work to address compensation but did not propose immediate policy changes during the meeting.
What happens next: Dyes said staff will pursue the HB3000 ambulance-grant opportunity with Lamar County and continue work on staffing, facility maintenance and equipment replacement plans. The council did not take formal action on EMS items during the meeting.
