Commissioners back short-term recruitment package for EMS and 9-1-1 staffing; staff to return with retention data and contracts

Davidson County commissioners on May 1 authorized a short-term recruitment and retention package aimed at filling vacancies in EMS and the county’s 9-1-1 call center and directed staff to return with retention metrics and contract details for review.

Board action and follow-up: After an extended briefing from 9-1-1 and EMS staff and a discussion of recruiting options, commissioners voted to pursue a multi-part approach that includes continuing use of recruitment contractors (headhunters), a referral bonus program, targeted pay incentives for extra shifts, and administrative changes to make part‑time staffing more accessible. Staff were asked to continue existing recruiting contracts where already in place, to expand referral incentives, to lower the part‑time minimum-hour threshold (discussion settled on 60 hours as the target) so more part-time staff can qualify for incentives, and to reintroduce a cash-for-ride/shift bonus program modified with the new part‑time threshold. The board asked for a six-month review including retention data (who remains employed at set intervals) so the county can evaluate return on investment.

Why it matters: County staff outlined growing vacancy rates within both the 9-1-1 telecommunicator positions and EMS paramedic/EMT positions. Presenters showed call-volume and staffing comparisons with neighboring centers and counties, and commissioners repeatedly cited competition with neighboring jurisdictions and private-sector employers (notably hospitals and private ambulance companies) as a major driver of departures. Staff described a recent spike in recruiting costs and the mixed success of contracted recruiters; the board asked for retention outcomes (e.g., hires still employed at six months and one year) to judge whether referral and contractor approaches are delivering durable staffing gains.

Pay and compensation: Commissioners debated pay adjustments for 9-1-1 call-takers (telecommunicators) during the meeting and directed staff to prepare pay changes as part of the upcoming budget; some commissioners voiced support for moving starting telecommunicator pay toward the regional average. Commissioners discussed and asked staff to model an approach that would improve starting pay and preserve internal equity for incumbent employees; staff noted a pending cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that will affect the final dollar figures.

Recruiting contractors and metrics: The board directed staff to continue using recruiting contractors for open positions while the county evaluates their effectiveness. Commissioners asked staff to provide a spreadsheet showing hires by recruiting firm, hires who remain employed at 6 and 12 months, and per-hire costs. The board also approved continuing both a flat-fee recruiting arrangement and a contingency recruiter where already under contract and to bring formal contract documents back for routine consent-agenda approval.

Automated dispatch (Locution): Rob (9-1-1 staff) briefed the board on Locution, an automated call-dispatch technology for fire and EMS. Staff said the state/regional 9-1-1 board has approved funding for the bulk of the project, including ongoing maintenance, and that the only likely county expense is a one-time radio/server interface cost estimated by staff at about $27,000. Presenters said the Locution software and CAD interface were larger costs (presented roughly as about $201,000 for the core product and approximately $14,141 for the CAD interface in the consultant’s figures), but the 9-1-1 board would cover those amounts and ongoing maintenance (staff cited roughly $16,000 per year for maintenance). The board asked staff to bring contract and grant paperwork forward for final review and formal approval.

Context and constraints: County staff noted EMS and 9-1-1 are operating in a highly competitive regional labor market. Commissioners and staff discussed alternative approaches — training paramedics in-house (with contractual service obligations), adjusting shift schedules, and targeted bonuses — while acknowledging costs and the risk that neighboring agencies may raise pay in response. Several commissioners said they favored a pay adjustment in the near term to reduce losses and requested staff to include the adjustments in budget planning.

Ending: The board’s actions chiefly authorize staff to continue targeted recruitment and incentive programs for six months, to return with retention and cost data and with any contract language needed for formal approval, and to pursue state funding opportunities for the Locution automated-dispatch system with a limited county one-time server expense if required.