Emergency services press for restored staffing: ECC, EMS and sheriff raise retention and response concerns
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Summary
The county’s 9‑1‑1 center, EMS and sheriff described rising call volumes, retention challenges and proposals to restore positions cut from the draft budget. ECC said calls grew 13.1% year‑over‑year; EMS requested additional paramedic positions and a station; the sheriff sought corrections and captain pay parity and other personnel realignments.
Directors for the Emergency Communications Center, EMS and the sheriff’s office told the budget committee they face operational risk without restored staffing.
ECC Director Sensenol said 9‑1‑1 call volume has risen sharply (13.1% in the recent period reported) and attributed workload increases to population growth. The ECC requested reinstatement of three positions that had been removed earlier; the director said the center needs staff to maintain adequate call‑taking and dispatch coverage and to reduce turnover.
EMS leadership asked to reinstate four proposed paramedic positions and discussed plans for an additional station to improve response times in growth corridors. EMS noted response time pressure during daytime rush periods and the need for more crews to avoid long waits when mutual‑aid ambulances are committed elsewhere.
The sheriff requested reallocations (removing two proposed new clerical hires and adding a corrections sergeant), parity adjustments for captain pay and restoration of step raises previously proposed. Commissioners discussed MOU limits on position counts and asked staff for payroll-line reconciliations.
The committee asked finance to model the requested personnel changes as both full and partial restorations, and directed staff to set aside a modest midyear funding pool pending results from the ad hoc personnel policy committee and updated revenue numbers.