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Dougherty County weighs pay raises and bonuses to address EMS staffing shortage
Summary
County officials described a severe EMS staffing shortage and proposed raising entry pay from $20.77 to $24 (one commissioner urged $24.50) and offering sign-on bonuses up to $5,000 for full-time hires and $2,500 for part-time, with a multi-year retention requirement; county staff said carry costs can be managed but requested a detailed funding plan.
The Dougherty County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 25 heard a detailed briefing on a staffing crisis in the county’s Emergency Medical Services, with department leaders urging immediate pay and bonus changes to stop departures and fill vacancies.
Sam Allen, the county’s EMS director, told commissioners the department has “been maintaining anywhere from 6 to up to 12 vacancies of full-time staff” during recent years and that the service lost 18 employees this year alone, which Allen said represented about “90 years of experience.” He said competing county and…
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