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Council approves five-year ALS agreement; fire chief warns paramedic staffing is 'razor thin'
Summary
Stockton approved a five-year Advanced Life Support agreement with San Joaquin County. Fire Chief Brian Carr told council the department is close to the number of paramedics needed to put ALS-capable medics on every apparatus and is actively recruiting and training to close gaps.
The Stockton City Council voted 7-0 to approve a five-year Advanced Life Support (ALS) services agreement with San Joaquin County. Fire Chief Brian Carr briefed the council on the department’s staffing levels and said Stockton has historically provided paramedic services since 1975 but currently faces recruitment challenges that have left the roster thin for the goal of placing a paramedic on every fire apparatus.
Chief Carr said the department has about 57 paramedics, and to have a paramedic on every apparatus would require roughly 55–60 paramedics in the ranks when accounting for three rank categories (captain, engineer, firefighter). He outlined workforce pressures including retirements, post-COVID reductions in paramedic school capacity, and statewide competition for paramedics. Carr said the city can enter the five-year agreement and that the county EMS agency requires notice if the city changes its service model; the city would not be subject to contract breach but would notify the county of changes.
Council members asked for regular updates on recruitment, training and any service-level changes. The motion to approve the ALS agreement passed unanimously; the mayor and council encouraged additional community outreach and recruitment efforts to increase the paramedic pipeline.
