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Fire chief: loosen qualifications to widen candidate pool; committee approves escrowed paramedic incentive
Summary
The committee approved changes to firefighter/paramedic hiring: new hires may be hired as firefighter EMTs (EMT-basic) required to obtain firefighter 1 within six months; paramedic incentive funds will be escrowed and used to sponsor paramedic school after three years of service.
Manitowoc's personnel panel voted to revise firefighter hiring rules to broaden the candidate pool amid staffing shortages, approving a plan to hire candidates with EMT-basic certification who must obtain firefighter 1 within six months.
Chief Reimer (referred to in committee materials as "the chief") told the committee the department is down four positions and has candidate interest among firefighter EMTs but has been constrained by the prior requirement that new hires already be paramedics. The approved change reduces the immediate credential requirement to EMT-basic with a conditional timeline for firefighter 1 certification.
The committee also approved a proposal to escrow the current paramedic stipend savings and use them to sponsor paramedic schooling after three years of employment; participants who leave before a set time would have payback conditions. The chief said the approach aims to secure more stable staffing while ensuring the city receives a period of service in return for training.
The changes passed on a voice vote; staff said more detailed tuition and repayment terms will return to personnel in a subsequent meeting.
