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Woodford County approves paramedic contract buyout and new EMT training hires
Summary
The fiscal court approved purchasing out a paramedic contract to bring a contracted paramedic on full-time and authorized EMT training and related personnel orders, citing statewide paramedic shortages and local run-volume pressures.
Director Freeman Bailey told the fiscal court the county faces a statewide shortage of paramedics and EMTs and requested approval to purchase out an existing paramedic contract so the county could bring the individual on as a full-time employee. Bailey outlined training and cost details, saying class costs were roughly $8,500 with grant offsets and that the county's portion of a prior grant obligation would be about $2,287 as presented.
"We're looking to purchase the contract out because that's where we're at," Bailey said, explaining that the move would stabilize staffing without long-term upfront cost to the county if the new hire later left and purchased the contract back.
The court moved (Squire Downey) and seconded (Squire Carl) to approve the contract buyout as presented; those in favor said "aye" and the motion carried. The court also approved personnel orders to add the position and voted to authorize Director Bailey to execute documents related to training grants and program implementation.
Bailey further requested approval to recruit and train a part-time EMT (a recent college graduate) through a one-month, 40-hour boot camp in Lexington (course cost estimated at about $4,200) under a contract requiring one year of service in exchange for training. The personnel order and training authorization were approved and recorded as carried unanimously.
Bailey reported the county's local EMT course has 13 students, capped for this year, and described the program's extended training model designed to better prepare graduates for fieldwork.
The court recorded motions and approvals for these personnel and training measures; follow-up implementation was assigned to the EMS director and the county's personnel office.
