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Walker County to amend EMS special-event standby fees to allow double-time pay for off-duty crews
Summary
To reduce reliance on on-duty trucks, commissioners approved changes to the EMS special-event standby agreement to permit paying off-duty EMS personnel double-time for paid events; staff said fees would be updated and processed through county payroll codes.
Walker County Commissioner's Court approved a change to EMS special-event standby agreements that permits paying off-duty EMS personnel double time to staff paid events and reduce the need to pull on-duty response units.
During agenda item 14, staff explained that last year paid special events were fewer and demand is expected to increase this fall; to avoid drawing on on-duty trucks and stretching coverage, the EMS office proposed charging event organizers a higher standby rate so the county could pay off-duty EMTs and paramedics double time when they are called in. Staff said special-event billing is handled directly by the clerk's office rather than the county billing vendor and that payroll can record a separate code to capture double-time hours.
Commissioners asked operational questions about whether ALS/BLS differences should carry different rates; staff said the county generally sends an ALS truck (paramedic + EMT) but could evaluate different rates if events only require a single BLS staffer. After questions about whether event organizers could cancel and whether the county may cancel within 24 hours, a commissioner moved to approve the amended standby agreement and the motion carried.
Why it matters: staff said the change is intended to secure dedicated staffing for paid events and avoid unintended coverage gaps for emergency response.
What's next: HR and payroll staff will implement a payroll code for double-time and the clerk's office will update event-rates and agreements.
